ST. LOUIS — Zach Neto took a significant step toward a return to the majors, but he’s still got some work to do.
Neto was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday night. Neto will just be the DH, though. He’s still not ready to play shortstop.
“DH for however long he’s got to DH,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “When the medical people decide he’s ready to go on the field, we’re going to give him the amount of time that he needs to go in the field and play. And Zach Neto will let us know by the way he handles himself out there, catching the ball and being in positions and getting cutoffs and relays, when he’ll be ready. But right now we’re starting him off at DH, and we’ll just see how it goes.”
Neto had shoulder surgery in November. As the Angels left spring training in Arizona, Neto was just taking batting practice and doing some controlled throws across the infield. After the Angels left, he began to hit in minor-league spring training games.
Neto still has not done cutoffs and relays even in drills, Washington said. The Angels will need to be comfortable that he can handle any sort of throw – in the hole, off-balance, etc. – before he can play shortstop in a game.
In the meantime, he’s making progress at the plate. He hit some homers in his first few games as the DH in Arizona.
“A couple days ago he hit a home run and I think everyone’s phone lit up,” Washington said. “Dropped some bunts. Drew some walks. He’s fine swinging the bat. Once we can get him to playing shortstop and moving around and making all the plays under competition, then we’ll see how long it takes him to get back.”
PARIS SITS
Just as he suggested a day earlier, Washington made a lineup on Tuesday with Jo Adell back in center field and Kyren Paris on the bench.
Paris was 3 for 8, including a go-ahead home run in the eighth on Sunday and a game-tying triple in the seventh on Monday. After retooling his swing in the winter, he was one of the Angels’ best hitters throughout spring training.
Washington acknowledged that Paris has been swinging a hot bat, but he said he didn’t want Adell to sit out too long. He had been out since leaving Saturday’s game with hip tightness.
“Of course, it is (difficult to bench Paris), the way he’s been playing, but Adell is ready to go, so he’s back in center field,” Washington said. “We’ve got to get him going too. If I don’t put Adell back out there, he’s just gonna rot. We can’t afford to have him rot, and I’m not gonna let Paris rot. So I’ve got a challenge on my hands, and I’m gonna figure it out before it’s over.”
Paris is a natural infielder, so one option would have been to put Paris at second base or shortstop. Washington rejected that idea, partly because they want him to “focus on center field” and partly because the Angels haven’t played enough games to determine that any of his other infielders deserve to sit.
He also likes their defense. Luis Rengifo, Tim Anderson and Yoán Moncada all made exceptional plays late in games to secure victories on Sunday and Monday.
“We’ve played four ball games,” Washington said. “I’m not worried about who’s off to a good start offensively. We’re finding ways to win ball games, and if we can continue to find ways to win ball games with our offense not clicking, that means that we are headed in the right direction, and I want to stay in the direction we are going in. It may not be supplying us with offense right now, but they are catching that rock.”
NOTES
A day after first baseman Nolan Schanuel hit a ball at 109.8 mph – the hardest of his young career – Washington said he’s been impressed with his swing. He also said it’s still early. “He’s getting through the ball a little better,” Washington said. “We’ve played four games. If you get four at-bats a game, that’s 16 at-bats. (Schanuel had 17 plate appearances.) You don’t really start being able to judge things till we reach 100.” …
Left-hander Jake Eder will be a starting pitcher at Salt Lake. The Angels acquired Eder from the Chicago White Sox this week, for a player to be named or cash considerations.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Yusei Kikuchi, 0-1, 4.50 ERA) at Cardinals (RHP Sonny Gray, 1-0, 3.60), Wednesday, 10:15 a.m. PT, FanDuel Sports Network West, 830 AM
Originally Published:
