Creating Hypothetical Trade Proposal for Rays to Land Angels' Zach Neto

Here's a hypothetical trade proposal for the Tampa Bay Rays to land Zach Neto from the Los Angeles Angels.

Jul 27, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) is greeted by teammates after scoring during the first inning against the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the MLB trade deadline just days away, the Tampa Bay Rays are expected to be one of the busiest teams in the league in terms of trying to make improvements. With a plethora of potential options to pursue, it will be interesting to see the direction that they go in. 

So far this year, the Rays have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball and have shown no signs of slowing down. Tampa Bay has the best record in the American League, and with the trade deadline nearly here, they are expected to be aggressive buyers. 

When looking at some of the needs for the Rays, there are a couple of areas that they could look to address. While a need for a starting pitcher was on the list, a recent injury to Shane McClanahan might have increased that need. 

Furthermore, while there is never too much relief pitching, one of the top needs for Tampa Bay should be the lineup. With a couple of positions that make sense for them to try and address, one of them could be up the middle at shortstop. 

While it isn’t an easy position to address, one player who could make a lot of sense for them is Los Angeles Angels slugger Zach Neto. Here is a hypothetical trade proposal for them to be able to land the talented infielder. 

Rays Receive: Zachary Neto

Angels Receive: Carson Williams, Daniel Pierce, Brody Hopkins

Mar 28, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams (7) hits a two run single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

No matter who Tampa Bay looks to pursue, the team is in a strong spot due to a plethora of talent in their farm system. In this trade, the Rays are giving up quite a bit, but Neto is a talented player who is under team control for multiple years still, and if Tampa Bay is going to part ways with top prospects, that seems to be the way they would go about it. 

So far this season, he has slashed .232/.323/.431 with 19 home runs and 46 RBI. The 25-year-old is one of the best young players in the league at the position and would help solve some problems in the lineup for the Rays. 

While the team does have a really talented trio, they need more if they are going to be able to succeed in October. Neto would fill a position of need and could be an excellent piece in the batting order for the team.