In another lost season for the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday’s 18-3 blowout over the Houston Astros was a major bright spot.

Not only did the Angels record a season-high 18 runs, but they also won their first road series since May 26-28 against the Detroit Tigers.

Shortstop Zach Neto was at the center of Los Angeles’ offensive outburst, erupting for a career night. The 25-year-old went 5-for-6 with RBI singles in the first and fourth innings before clubbing a three-run home run in the fifth and a two-run double in the seventh.

Neto’s five hits and seven RBI were both career highs, while his seven RBI tied the Angels’ single-game record for RBI by a shortstop, matching Freddie Patek, who did so on June 20, 1980.

With seven RBI tonight, Zach Neto has tied the #Angels single-game record for RBI by a shortstop.

He matches Freddie Patek who did so on June 20, 1980 at Boston https://t.co/0azOYWYz4w

— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) August 21, 2026

Neto’s career night was his best amid another respectable offensive season. Through 124 games in 2026, he is slashing .231/.314/.422 with 21 home runs, 61 RBI, and 17 stolen bases. While those numbers are down from his .257/.319/.474 slash line with 26 home runs, 62 RBI, and 26 stolen bases last season, Neto remains a cornerstone in the Angels’ lineup.

However, strikeouts continue to be a major issue. Neto’s 172 strikeouts rank second in MLB, behind only the Philadelphia Phillies‘ Kyle Schwarber (184). He has already set a career-high in strikeouts in fewer games than last season, surpassing his total of 149 in 128 games in 2025.

Neto’s 31 percent strikeout rate remains a significant cause for concern, as it ranks in the seventh percentile among all qualified hitters.

Perhaps more concerning, though, is Neto’s defense. His -7 Outs Above Average this season is the fifth-worst mark among all qualified shortstops in baseball. Neto is also tied for the American League lead in errors with 16.

This is the 12th error of the season for Zach Neto, which is one more than he had all of last year.

The next two batters hit HRs.

The Angels’ lead went from 6-1 to 6-5 in the 6th pic.twitter.com/GeWjxBMekJ

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) June 7, 2026

Yet despite those glaring areas for improvement, performances like Thursday show why the Angels are so high on him.

Neto was heavily mentioned in trade rumors leading up to the MLB trade deadline, but Los Angeles opted not to move him. Amid the team’s fire sale, Neto not being moved may have signaled that he is someone Los Angeles is looking to build around under interim general manager John Mozeliak.

Neto is still just 25-years-old and under team control for three more seasons after 2026. Yet his future with the Angels remains uncertain, especially after his comments earlier this month on whether he was given any assurances from the front office that the organization is going to build around him going forward.

Nonetheless, Neto is one of Los Angeles’ best players. Moving on from him would likely set the franchise back even further from making the postseason for the first time since 2014.

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