Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto won’t be ready for Opening Day due to his recovery from right shoulder surgery, manager Ron Washington told reporters on Thursday.
Neto injured the shoulder on Sept. 26 while sliding during a game but didn’t undergo surgery until early November.
The Angels open the season on March 27 against the host Chicago White Sox.
“I don’t think he’s gonna make Opening Day,” Washington said. “It may be soon after, but I don’t think it’s gonna be Opening Day. And when I say soon after — that could be a week after, that could be two weeks after, it might be a month. But we want him to keep continuing to progress. We’re not gonna force it.”
Neto initially hoped treatment and rest would heal the shoulder but said he doesn’t regret holding off on the surgery because he followed the advice of his doctor.
“I feel good,” Neto said. “I’m ahead of schedule and trying to do everything I can to get back as soon as possible. But the biggest thing is to come back as healthy as possible. Not only looking at short-term, but for long-term, hopefully not having any setbacks. But the decision is not on me, it’s on the training staff.”
Neto, 24, was a first-round draft pick in 2022 (13th overall) and quickly reached the majors. He has played in 239 big-league games and has 32 home runs, 111 RBIs, 108 runs and 35 steals to go with a .241 average.
Last season, he batted .249 with 23 homers, 77 RBIs and 30 steals in 155 games.
