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    Angels want Zach Neto to limit strikeouts while staying aggressive
    • April 29, 2026

    CHICAGO — Now that Zach Neto has made such a dramatic improvement in his walk rate, the next step will be cutting the strikeouts.

    After four more strikeouts Tuesday night, the Angels shortstop was second in the majors with 45 strikeouts. His strikeout rate was 31%, although that’s spiked with seven in the previous two games. Prior to that, it was close to last year’s 27%.

    The major-league average is 23%.

    “He comes to me and tells me how frustrated he is with punching out,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “With the pitchers’ stuff, and all the things, there are adjustments you have make. He’s been working every day in the cage.”

    Suzuki said they don’t want to take away too much of what also makes Neto good.

    “He’s always had that aggressiveness and you never want him to be passive,” Suzuki said. “With Zach, you have to have him be aggressive, but still understand situations, understand when cutting down the swing a little might help him. But he’s such a talent that he’ll find it eventually.”

    Neto’s walk rate has gone from 6% to 14%, which has helped him bump his on-base percentage from .319 to .349.

    That’s helped keep his production at a reasonable level, even when he’s slumping. Over the past 16 games, Neto has hit .219 with a .342 on-base percentage.

    BIG STEP FOR JOYCE

    The Angels decided on having Ben Joyce begin a rehab assignment hours after Suzuki spoke to the media Tuesday, but he was thrilled with the news when asked Wednesday.

    “It’s awesome,” Suzuki said. “When they told me, I was pretty excited. Hearing what he’s been doing in Arizona, I’m like, ‘Man, this guy is ready to go out. I’m excited to see what he’s got on a rehab assignment, and go from there.”

    Joyce, who is rehabbing from shoulder surgery, was scheduled to pitch Wednesday night at Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. He had been facing hitters for a couple weeks in extended spring training.

    Suzuki had spoken before about playing it conservatively with Joyce, but on Wednesday he was more optimistic about trusting Joyce’s opinion of when he’s ready.

    “That’s up to him, seeing how he does, how he recovers,” Suzuki said. “Obviously we don’t want to rush him, but at the same time, if he’s feeling good and throwing the ball well, who knows? He’s a freak of nature. You never know.”

    ON SECOND THOUGHT

    A few days after Nolan Schanuel said he went from a leg kick to a toe tap because of his sore left ankle, he said that his ankle was well enough for him to revert back to his normal swing.

    Schanuel used the toe tap Sunday, and he was 1 for 5. On Monday, he returned to the leg kick, and he had four hits in the next two games, with two doubles. Schanuel is now hitting .241 with a .679 OPS, continuing a steady climb toward last year’s numbers (.264 and .742).

    “It felt good for a little bit,” Schanuel said Wednesday. “Then I don’t know if something just mentally fell out of place, but going back, I just feel more in rhythm and like my timing is better.”

    The first baseman was not in the lineup Wednesday, even though the Angels were facing a right-hander.

    Suzuki said it was an opportunity to give Schanuel two straight days off – including Thursday’s scheduled off day – and also to get an extra game for Vaughn Grissom. The infielder, who had been playing only against lefties, is hitting .353 with an .899 OPS.

    NOTES

    The Angels designated left-hander Joey Lucchesi for assignment and called up left-hander Mitch Farris. Farris is back for his second stint in the Angels’ bullpen this season. Farris gave up one run in 4⅓ innings in two games earlier this month. He has a 3.38 ERA this season at Salt Lake, with 13 strikeouts in 10⅔ innings. …

    A day after José Soriano pitched through a stiff neck, Suzuki said he was still “a little stiff.”

    UP NEXT

    Mets (TBD) at Angels (RHP Walbert Ureña, 0-3, 4.76), 6:38 p.m. Friday, FanDuel Sports Network, 830 AM

    ​ Orange County Register 

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