Zach Neto is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday when the Los Angeles Angels begin a three-game series against the Oakland A’s in Anaheim, Calif.
Neto hurt his left calf on Saturday against the Dodgers, first when he fouled a ball off his lower leg, and then later in the game when trying to field a grounder to the hole at shortstop hit by the Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas, forcing him out of the game.
“I fouled one off my calf and it wasn’t pretty, but I tried to grind it out,” Neto said. “It never got better, but I didn’t want to come out of the game. I got to that play (ground ball to the hole at shortstop) pretty good, but when I planted my feet, my left leg gave out on me.”
If Neto is unable to play Monday, the Angels can go with Luis Rengifo or Luis Guillorme at shortstop. Angels manager Ron Washington, however, indicated he expects Neto to be in the lineup.
“He’s fine,” Washington said. “No concern. My intention is for him to play on Monday. He got treatment on it and he’s got Sunday off. So hopefully he’ll show up Monday ready to go.”
Neto missed significant time last season as a rookie. An oblique strain kept him out for 21 games from June 15 through July 13, and he was out for 34 games from Aug. 4 through Sept. 10 with a back injury.
With long-term injuries to regulars such as Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Brandon Drury, losing Neto would be another blow to the lineup. Still just 23, Neto has been above average defensively and shown some surprising pop at the plate, leading the club with 26 extra-base hits, including 10 home runs.
Right-hander Griffin Canning (2-8, 5.02 ERA) will make his 16th start of the season Monday for the Angels. Canning, who is winless in his past six starts, is 2-4 with a 4.56 ERA in nine career starts versus Oakland.
Right-hander Luis Medina (1-2, 4.71) will make his fifth start of the season for the A’s, who are coming off a 3-0 loss on Sunday to the Minnesota Twins. Medina has faced the Angels once in his career, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on eight hits and three walks in five innings of an 11-3 loss on April 26, 2023.
Oakland infielder Armando Alvarez was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday and made his major league debut as a defensive replacement at third base in the eighth inning. He got his first major league at-bat in the ninth, grounding out to the pitcher.
It was a long time coming for Alvarez, who turns 30 on July 14 and has played in 700 minor league games since being drafted by the Yankees in 2016.
He was hitting .311 with eight homers, 33 RBIs and had a .929 OPS for Las Vegas, and got the news Friday night in the Aviators’ game against Tacoma. Alvarez was due to hit second in the eighth inning and started to make his way to the on-deck circle when Las Vegas manager Fran Riordan called him back.
“The manager said, ‘Hey, you’re not hitting,’ ” Alvarez said. “I was confused. … Then he goes, ‘No, you’re going to the big leagues.’ I was like, ‘That works, too.’ ”
–Field Level Media
