3 Angels storylines to follow during Spring Training

This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger's Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Spring Training is almost here for the Angels, with pitchers and catchers holding their first workouts on Wednesday.

The club will continue to look to develop and build around their young core with manager Ron Washington in his second year at the helm. They made several additions early in the offseason to bolster the roster but still have several question marks to answer this spring.

Here are three storylines to follow along in Spring Training for the Angels in 2025:

How long will Zach Neto be out and who will replace him at shortstop?
Neto was the club¡¯s best player in 2024, but he is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing right shoulder surgery in early November. It¡¯s still unclear just how long Neto will be out, and the Angels have to decide who will replace him. They signed Tim Anderson to a Minor League deal to give him a shot this spring but also have other internal options, such as Kevin Newman, Scott Kingery, Luis Rengifo and Kyren Paris. It could also leave an opening at second base for top prospect Christian Moore to claim, as he¡¯ll compete for a starting spot this spring despite being drafted just last year.

Anderson was an All-Star in 2021 and ¡¯22 but struggled offensively over the last two seasons, so he¡¯s looking to bounce back. The Angels are optimistic Neto won¡¯t miss much time, but we¡¯ll find out more from Neto early in camp once the position players arrive. General manager Perry Minasian should also have an update on Neto this week.

What¡¯s the plan for Mike Trout to keep him healthy this season?
The Angels have discussed playing Trout in a corner outfield spot more often to try to keep him healthy, and he said at the end of last season that he¡¯d be open to it. He¡¯s also likely to see a bit more time at designated hitter, although the Angels did acquire slugger Jorge Soler in a trade with the Braves to be their primary DH. Trout, 33, is currently healthy after having his meniscus in his left knee repaired twice and had a normal offseason.

It¡¯ll be interesting to see what the Angels have come up with and where Trout plays this spring. There¡¯s less running in the corner outfield spots than in center, but there¡¯s more hard cuts in the corners. There¡¯s also the fencing in foul territory that can be tricky that center fielders don¡¯t have to deal with. But the Angels would love nothing more than a healthy season from the three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, who was limited to 36 games in 2021, 119 in ¡¯22, 82 in ¡¯23 and 29 last season.

Who will be the fifth starter and how will the bullpen shape up?
The top four spots in the rotation are basically set after the Angels signed Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks to join Tyler Anderson and Jos¨¦ Soriano. But the fifth spot is up for grabs, with right-hander Jack Kochanowicz and lefty Reid Detmers as the top two candidates. Detmers has more experience and a much higher strikeout rate, but he had a 6.70 ERA in 17 starts last year. Kochanowicz, meanwhile, had a 3.99 ERA in 11 outings as a rookie, including a 2.78 ERA in his last nine starts. But the Angels have several other candidates, such as Chase Silseth, Jos¨¦ Suarez, Victor Mederos and Sam Bachman, as well as prospects Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri and George Klassen. They also signed veteran Dakota Hudson to a Minor League deal.

The bullpen is essentially wide open, with flamethrower Ben Joyce likely to serve as closer. Other options include Brock Burke, Jos¨¦ Quijada, Ryan Zeferjahn, Hans Crouse, Kelvin Caceres, Jack Dashwood and Rule 5 pick Garrett McDaniels. Mederos, Silseth, Bachman and Suarez are all candidates to be moved to the bullpen if they don¡¯t crack the rotation. The Angels also still could add to the bullpen via free agency during Spring Training, much like they did in 2021, when they signed Tony Watson and Steve Cishek to one-year deals.