Angels News: Zach Neto Suffers Setback, Hopeful to Return This Season

Another unfortunate setback for the impressive rookie.

The Angels have been hit with the injury bug more than any team this season. And unfortunately, their top contributors continue to suffer setbacks.

Rookie shortstop Zach Neto made a quick return from the injured list, but his back ended up getting inflamed, causing him to miss additional time. Then, before he knew it, he was back on the injured list.

The hope was that it would be a quick stint on the injured list, but suddenly, that's not the case.

Angels manager Phil Nevin said that they're trying to get ahead of it, but the inflammation is not very good, and Neto is likely to be out for a few weeks.

“We’re trying to get ahead of this,” Nevin said. “We think we got ahead of where it’s going to be extremely lengthy. I don’t want to put a number on it, but it’s gonna be a few weeks.”

Zach Neto underwent further testing that revealed more inflammation in his back. He’s expected to be out several weeks but should return before the end of the season, Nevin said.

— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) August 8, 2023

Neto was having a great first year in Anaheim, hitting .241/.315/.411 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. He's now heading back on the injured list for a second time this season, with no signs of a return.

Ideally, he returns before the end of the season, as the Angels would love to have a fully healthy lineup at some point this season.

But for now, Neto is back on the shelf, and the Angels continue to be without their breakout young shortstop.