Zach Neto was one of the more interesting names to surface in trade deadline chatter this year, and it wasn't because the Angels were shopping him hard. It's because other teams kept asking.
MLB Trade Rumors reported that both the Mariners and Twins showed interest in the 25-year-old shortstop before the deadline. Seattle's angle made sense on paper — J.P. Crawford is set to hit free agency after this season, and Neto profiles as exactly the kind of long-term answer at short a contending club wants to lock in early. Minnesota, meanwhile, reportedly had multiple check-ins with the Angels about his availability, but a deal never got close. The Twins' price of admission would've required including top prospect Walker Jenkins, and the Angels wanted that kind of headliner or nothing at all.
None of it went anywhere, and the Angels ultimately held onto their shortstop. That's notable given the noise around Neto's name all summer — he's a former first-rounder who's become a legitimate everyday piece, and there'd been real speculation the Angels could be willing to move him if the return was substantial enough.
There's a wrinkle here that makes the whole situation worth watching going forward. Neto avoided arbitration with a one-year, $4.15 million deal ahead of this season, but the Angels have not offered him a long-term extension — a pointed contrast to how they handled Mike Trout at the same stage of his arbitration clock. Neto is still under club control through 2029, so there's no urgency to extend or trade him, but the lack of a long-term commitment keeps the door cracked for teams like Seattle and Minnesota to circle back this winter.
For now, the Angels are betting on keeping their young shortstop rather than cashing him in, even with two playoff-caliber front offices making calls. Whether that turns into an extension talk this offseason — or another round of trade rumors before next year's deadline — is the next chapter to watch.