ANAHEIM — Zach Neto’s emotional style of play is what turned him into a standout shortstop and it’s also what has led to some struggles this season, although the Angels can see that passion start to turn in the team’s favor.
When Neto hit a go-ahead home run in a victory over the Chicago White Sox on May 5, the moment was more relief than excitement after he ended a 23-game spell without going deep.
While Neto remained both anxious and relieved after that home run, he talked about how opening Pokemon cards with Mike Trout in the pregame clubhouse brought him the good vibes he had been looking for.
There was more genuine excitement after his two-run home run in the ninth inning on Monday night gave the Angels a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Athletics. Adding to the buzz was that the Angels had just ended a no-hit bid by J.T. Ginn when Adam Frazier singled just before Neto went deep.
Neto isn’t one to hide his emotions. Where there is excitement and bravado, Neto can also show dejection when the results aren’t going in his favor.
“Well, I think it’s human nature, right?” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “You feel it, especially a guy like him who cares about helping the team when you’re struggling, you know. You lose some of that (confidence) because you feel like you’re letting everybody down.”
Neto said the team has been nothing but supportive of each other, even through the struggles that included the six-game losing streak that ended Monday.
Neto said even a guy like 22-year-old rookie pitcher Walbert Ureña has done his part to keep spirits high. Ureña didn’t even make his major league debut until March 26.
“Even when I was going through my slump, he was the first person to tap me on the shoulder and say that I have to lead this group, and that we go when I go,” Neto said. “A young guy like that doesn’t really do that that often and to see him do that shows who he is as a person.”
Since his home run two weeks ago against the White Sox, Neto is batting .273 with a .923 OPS, three home runs and seven RBIs in the past 12 games through Monday. Before that April 5 home run, he was batting .210 with a .694 OPS, five homers and 15 RBIs in the first 36 games.
“I feel like my swing is starting to come around a little bit,” Neto said. “… This game is very hard and you only get one pitch in an (at-bat) to do damage.”
Suzuki is only in his first year as a manager, but he has plenty of playing experience to understand what emotion can do for a player. He is giving Neto space to learn what riding the passion roller coaster can do for a player.
“You gotta kind of tread carefully because I think being super hard on himself kind of makes him who he is and makes him, like, great,” Suzuki said. “But at the same time, he needs a little bit of reminders (that) this is a hard game and you’re gonna go through some struggles. You just gotta keep battling and keep grinding through it.”
Only a select few get to a star level without any setbacks.
“You can (still) be a great teammate, you can put the effort in, the preparation in and all the other stuff will take care of itself,” Suzuki said. “You’re constantly learning in this game, no matter if you have one year, two years, 10 years, you’re always learning.”
TEMPE TIME
Right-handed reliever Ben Joyce has reported to the team’s complex in Arizona to rehab a setback with his shoulder injury that required surgery last May.
Joyce was four outings into a minor-league rehab assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga before the setback occurred. He had a 4.50 ERA over four innings.
Suzuki could not confirm if Joyce had started a throwing program. He was scheduled to work with a physical therapist upon arriving in the desert.
Joyce last appeared in a major-league game April 8 of last season when he gave up three runs on four hits in one-third of an inning against the Tampa Bay Rays.
OUT FOR AN A EFFORT
Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz has a score to settle when he faces the A’s at home on Wednesday night. In two career starts against the division rival, Kochanowicz is 0-1 with a 12.38 ERA, his highest against any team.
Kochanowicz gave up four runs over four innings of a start against the A’s last season and seven runs over four innings in a 2024 outing. In those eight innings, he has walked eight and allowed three home runs.
UP NEXT
A’s (RHP Aaron Civale, 5-1, 2.70 ERA) at Angels (RHP Jack Kochanowicz, 2-3, 4.56 ERA), Wednesday, 6:38 p.m., ABTV, 830 AM, 1330 AM