With the way the Los Angeles Angels have been playing this season, they need all the luck they can get. And they may have found their luckiest item yet in the form of Pikachu.
On June 19, Angels shortstop Zach Neto brought a new friend into the dugout. A Pikachu toy figurine became a staple within the clubhouse. And it was as if Pikachu’s electricity woke up the team.
After that, the Angels went 6-3 and won their fourth consecutive home series. Beyond the winning record in those nine games, the Halos outscored their opponents 52-44. It’s also important to point out that they are doing this without Mike Trout. Trout is still on the IL, dealing with a hamstring issue. While he should be returning soon, it’s good to see what the Halos are capable of without the four-time MVP.
Zach Neto is slowly finding his rhythm again, with two hits and eight RBI’s in his last 11 games. Denzer Guzmán has also been a shining star for the Halos, with 18 hits, 11 RBI’s, and slugging over .500 in the last 15 games.
Other Superstitions
Nolan Schanuel and Logan O’Hoppe have been testing out new gameday looks and have been on fire at the plate. Schanuel has begun wearing Zach Neto-inspired eye black. And it’s working. He’s hitting .346 in his last seven games and has five RBI’s.
O’Hoppe has been rocking a playoff beard since the middle of June. O’Hoppe is hitting .356, has an OBP close to .400 in his last 15 games, and has played great defense. Most recently, he linked up with Chase Silseth to put together an incredible play to keep it a one-run game in the 10th inning against the Orioles. He then walked off the game.
Turning a Season Around
It may seem odd to credit a Pokémon for the success the Halos have had recently, but the creature has certainly lit a fire under them.
Looking further back, the Angels have scored 132 runs since May 22, which leads the American League. Since that same day, the pitching staff has the third-best combined ERA in the AL with 3.72 in 203 innings.
The American League has only four teams with winning records, with just a little over half the season left. While the Angels are still in last place in the AL West, they’re only 6.5 games back from the Rangers. Additionally, they are only six games back of a Wild Card spot. It may be a tough task, but you can’t count these Halos out yet, especially if this Pikachu power continues to course through the lineup.
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