Dodgers Could Surprisingly Target Angels Star at Trade Deadline, Says ESPN Insider

The Los Angeles Dodgers' front office has a lot of major decisions to make over before the trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. PT on Aug. 3.

One of the main ones is how the team wants to approach the deadline, whether that is going all-in to bring another star to the team or to simply add around the margins for depth. Multiple reports have implied that Los Angeles has no plans to make a big splash move, but given all the assets that the team has, it's always possible.

There could also be some surprises that pop up along the way for the Dodgers. According to MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN, Los Angeles could be involved in the trade sweepstakes for shortstop Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels.

Passan discussed the Dodgers potential interest on his podcast, Sources Tell Jeff Passan.

"I think by the end of this deadline, Zach Neto might be the best player traded, and all the big markets could be in on this: the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Red Sox, even the Phillies," Passan said. "Neto's under control through the 2030 season, and that is a lot of control for a guy who has been nothing but productive. The Angels are going to want to hit a home run on this, and considering the paucity of bats on the market, I think they very well could."

Neto is a name that hasn't been connected with the Dodgers before, making it an interesting conversation. But the potential interest from the Dodgers raises the question of where Neto would play if acquired.

Los Angeles has Tommy Edman playing second base and Mookie Betts playing shortstop. It would be a shock to see Betts moved off shortstop at this point. Thus, the team would likely have to move Edman to the outfield, especially if the team were to trade either Alex Call or Teoscar Hernández, as rumored.

The front office may simply see the opportunity to land a potential budding star who has years of team control, and at least want to see what it would take to land him.

Neto has been a bright spot for the Angels over the last few seasons, and he's putting together another strong year, hitting 232 with 19 home runs, 46 RBIs and an OPS of .757. The shortstop has hit at least 23 home runs in two straight seasons, and he's on pace to make it happen again in 2026.

Neto is a below-average defender at shortstop, which makes him a candidate to play elsewhere. At 25 years old, he has tons of potential as a home run and stolen base threat towards the top of a lineup.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that surprises could come up as the deadline approaches, just like in recent years.

"That said, there have been a number of moves we have made closer to the deadline [in past years] that weren’t necessarily on our radar 10 days, two weeks out — just from opportunities that pop up," Friedman said.

This would qualify as a surprise — and one that remains very unlikely.

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