The Los Angeles Angels have been searching for offensive consistency, and that search has led to a significant lineup shakeup. Shortstop Zach Neto, typically one of the team's most reliable bats, has been moved down from the leadoff spot to the sixth position—what manager Kurt Suzuki is calling the "RBI spot."

The change came after weeks of struggles. Neto entered Wednesday's game hitting just .196 over the previous month, a far cry from the production the Angels need from their young star. The numbers tell a tough story: a lower barrel rate, a drop in hard-hit rate, and a tendency to chase bad pitches. Simply put, Neto was pressing.

"For me, the biggest thing was to try and take the pressure off him," Suzuki explained before the game. "That's a lot of pressure—and when you're scuffling and not playing how you want to play, this is a way to let him start having fun and not feel like the weight of the world is on him."

The early returns were promising. In his first game in the new spot, Neto launched a two-run homer against the Cleveland Guardians. Meanwhile, Vaughn Grissom stepped into the leadoff role and immediately drew two walks, showing the kind of patience the Angels have been missing at the top of the order.

"I don't make the lineup," Neto said after the game. "I just hit where I'm supposed to and just play my game."

The Angels have plenty of power throughout their lineup, but they've lacked a true table-setter—a player who can get on base consistently and create scoring opportunities. Moving Neto down not only takes pressure off him but also gives the middle of the order a dangerous bat who can drive in runs.

Whether this is a long-term solution remains to be seen, but for a team that's been searching for offensive answers, it's a move that makes sense. As Suzuki noted after Neto's breakout performance: "He had some great at-bats. It's definitely nice to see that."