The Angels’ newest mascot: Zach Neto credits a tiny Pikachu for June’s mood swing

In the middle of June, while the Angels were trying to build momentum, one unexpected presence began appearing around their broadcast feed and dugout area: a small Pikachu near the cameras. Players and viewers noticed it quickly, and Zach Neto, a daily centerpiece in the lineup, has since leaned into the idea that the distraction, in the best way, helped him play looser.

Neto’s explanation, reported as he described his approach at the plate, was less about superstition and more about feel. He said he can go out with “a free mind,” worry less about overthinking, and focus on playing his game, with the Pikachu adding a touch of fun that keeps the energy lighter. The point is not that it changes baseball mechanics, but that it has become a visible cue for how the Angels wanted to carry themselves during a stretch.

The “Pikachu corner” did not stay confined to one person’s view. According to the reporting, the mascot became something of an unofficial team bit, with other Angels also adopting it. During the Angels’ road series against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle, the team even visited Pokémon’s North American headquarters, underscoring that this was becoming a real clubhouse storyline, not just a broadcast quirk.

June provided multiple examples of why the moment stuck in players’ minds. Neto hit a game-winning home run against the Oakland Athletics on June 21. The Angels also got notable flashes around the rest of the lineup and pitching staff during the month. For instance, the reporting tied their June 23 meeting with the Baltimore Orioles to a long stretch of strong pitching, and later referenced Bryce Miller taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning as Seattle edged Los Angeles 1-0 to complete a three-game sweep.

Even when the results were not favorable, the Pikachu narrative remained part of how the team framed its work. The June recap mentioned other individual contributions, including how catcher Logan O’Hoppe walked off a series with a slow-rolling infield single against the Orioles earlier in the month, and it also pointed to a season-relevant context for another starter by noting Ryan Johnson’s May earned run average before his June start. Those details matter because they place the Pikachu bit inside the larger, grind-it-out reality of a long season: it’s an emotional thread, running through both good nights and tough ones.

What to watch next is whether the Angels treat the Pikachu as a one-month curiosity or a continuing presence as summer turns into the stretch run. If Neto’s explanation holds, it is likely to show up in the small things he controls, like how quickly he resets between at-bats and whether the lineup sustains the calmer rhythm that he said he got from having a little fun in the dugout. For fans, it is also a reminder that baseball’s entertainment value often comes from the human details around the game, not just the box score.