Red Sox Zero In on Astros’ Jeremy Peña but Angels’ Zach Neto Looms as Trade Option

The Boston Red Sox have a problem. They’re 53-50, clinging to the second AL wild-card spot, and their lineup tilts way too far to the left. The solution, according to multiple reports, involves a right-handed bat — and maybe two of them.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today dropped the news that Boston has its eyes on Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña. The Red Sox would also love to pry Zach Neto away from the Angels. Both are right-handed hitters. Both are under team control beyond this year. But that’s where the similarities start to fade.

The Peña fit at Fenway is no joke

Peña is hitting .315 with a .371 on-base percentage across 58 games this season. He’s got nine homers and 28 RBIs. But the numbers that really matter here: he’s a pull-heavy hitter, and Fenway Park’s short left-field porch was basically designed for guys like him. He’s also thrived when playing in Boston, which is the kind of small sample that tends to make front offices take notice.

And Peña isn’t some rental. Houston has him under control through 2027. Throw in Gold Glove-level defense at short, and you’ve got a player who could anchor the middle infield for years. The Sox would have to give up real prospect capital to get him, but the upside is obvious.

Neto costs more, hits for more power

Zach Neto is having a different kind of season. His average sits at .236, but the power numbers jump off the page — 19 homers and 46 RBIs. He’s also a pull hitter, so same Fenway-fit logic applies. And here’s the kicker: Neto is under team control through 2029, which is the kind of long-term asset that changes a franchise’s timeline.

But that control comes with a price tag. The Angels aren’t just going to hand him over. A deal for Neto would require a massive package, probably headlined by multiple top prospects. Boston has the farm system to make it work, but it’d hurt.

The bigger picture in the AL East

The Red Sox are 7.5 games back of the Rays in the division and currently holding that second wild-card spot. They finish their series with Toronto on Sunday, then the trade deadline hits. The front office has shown it’s willing to act — they already picked up Curtis Mead from the Nationals — but the roster still feels incomplete.

Adding Peña or Neto wouldn’t just patch a hole. It would change the entire look of the lineup. And with both players under control beyond 2025, it’s not a panic move. It’s a real attempt to build something that lasts.