Los Angeles Angels fans troubled as rookie shortstop Zach Neto lands on IL with oblique strain: "We just lost our second best player"

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto has landed on the 10-day injured list due to a left oblique strain.

The news comes as quite a blow to the Angels as they seek to keep pace with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros in the American League West. Neto was having an AL Rookie of the Year honorable mention-type season and now will be lost for the forseeable future.

Angels fans have quickly become enamored with Zach Neto. The 13th selection of the 2022 MLB draft shot to the majors after just 44 minor league games.

Neto has shown no signs of being overmatched in his first MLB season. He is hitting .259 with six home runs, 22 RBIs and 24 runs through 55 games.

Some fans are even proclaiming that he is the Angels' second-best player after Shohei Ohtani – ahead of even Mike Trout, who is not playing up to his reputation this season.

Zach Neto had to come out of Wednesday's crucial matchup against the division-leading Rangers in the first inning after experiencing pain in his left side. It was initially reported that Neto was experiencing cramping before Thursday's diagnosis of a full oblique strain.

Journeyman utility player Andrew Velazquez was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake to take Neto's place on the roster.

Velazquez's call-up is not inspiring to Angels fans. He is hitting just .192 in a five-year MLB career that has seen him play with five different teams.

The 28-year-old did hit nine homers – with a .196 average – in 125 games with Los Angeles last season.

Angels fans have had a rough go of it. The team is Hollywood's red-headed stepchild of the world-famous Los Angeles Dodgers and has played .498 ball over 63 seasons since entering the American League in 1961.

The Angels have one World Series title, in 2002, but have not had a winning record since 2015 and haven't made the playoffs since 2014.

Neto is just 22 years old, and many fans are hopeful that his youth will help him bounce back from what can be a troublesome injury before too long.

Zach Neto is first player from 2022 MLB draft to reach the majors

Zach Neto of the Los Angeles Angels hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners.

Neto is the only player from the 2022 draft to make it to the majors. He was not on the Angels' opening day roster, but was called up on April 15.