Zach Neto -- General News

Zach Neto broke out of his worst slump of his career with a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning to lead the Angels past the White Sox 4-3. Neto had been scuffling significantly, going 0-for-23 with 13 strikeouts in his last 22 at-bats and no hits since April 28. He snapped the 0-for-23 streak with a single to right field in the third inning but was immediately picked off at first base. Two innings later, Neto connected off right-hander Erick Fedde on a 2-2 sweeper for the go-ahead blast, which traveled 104.7 mph and an estimated 410 feet. It was his sixth home run of the season and first in nearly a month (last came April 10). The home run sparked a two-out rally, as Mike Trout followed with a walk and Schanuel drove in a run with a double. Manager Kurt Suzuki praised Neto's overall performance, noting his sharp line drive in the first at-bat as potentially his best swing of the night. Neto credited Mike Trout with helping ease the mental pressure of the slump, as Trout had joked pregame that opening Pokémon cards together would result in home runs for both players—a prediction that proved accurate.

Angels shortstop Zach Neto broke a severe 0-for-18 slump on Tuesday night in Los Angeles' 4-3 win over the White Sox. Before the game, Mike Trout approached Neto with a case of Pokemon trading cards, telling him that opening packs would result in home runs. Trout specifically guaranteed that finding a Charizard would lead to a homer—a prediction that came true. Both players delivered, with Trout homering in the first inning on an Eric Fedde sweeper and Neto following suit four innings later with his own Fedde sweeper home run. Neto finished 2-for-4 and praised the ritual in his postgame interview, saying the distraction helped clear his mind and was exactly what he needed to overcome his slump. The Angels and White Sox conclude their series Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium.

Angels shortstop Zach Neto broke out of a five-game slump on Tuesday with a home run against the Chicago White Sox in a 4-3 Angels victory. Neto had struggled significantly entering the game, going hitless in 18 at-bats and seeing his batting average drop 30 points. To relieve the mental pressure, Neto opened Pokémon cards with Angels center fielder Mike Trout before the game. Trout had texted Neto that morning with a specific prediction: if they pulled a Charizard card, Neto would hit a home run. The prediction proved accurate, with both players delivering homers—Trout hitting a 367-foot shot in the first inning and Neto connecting to left center in the fifth inning. Neto attributed his turnaround to the superstition and the mental break from baseball, saying the Charizard card helped him refocus. The incident continues a trend of Pokémon appearing in MLB, following Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski pulling a rare red Charizard card after a win last August. Neto is currently batting .218 with 6 home runs and 16 RBIs through the 2026 season.

Zach Neto, the Los Angeles Angels shortstop and leadoff hitter, was struggling significantly entering Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Through 36 games, he was batting .210/.323/.371, representing career lows in both batting average and slugging percentage. He had gone five games without a hit and 23 games without a home run since April 10, while also leading the league in strikeouts.

Neto broke out of his slump in Tuesday's 4-3 Angels victory. He finished 2-for-4 with one home run and one RBI. His solo shot in the fifth inning gave the Angels a 3-2 lead that proved to be decisive. Mike Trout also contributed with a solo home run.

After the game, Neto credited an unusual source for his turnaround: opening Pokémon cards with Trout before the game. According to Neto, Trout texted him that morning suggesting they rip Pokémon cards, joking that if they pulled a Charizard, Neto would hit a home run. They found the Charizard, and both players homered. Neto explained that the activity helped get his head out of baseball temporarily, which he described as necessary for his performance. He concluded his postgame comments with 'Thanks, Charizard.'

The Angels defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-3 on Tuesday at Angel Stadium in a game that saw the team rebound from early struggles. Left-hander Sam Aldegheri's rocky start left the Angels down 2-0 after just one out, but the team regrouped for a victory that represents only their third win in their last 16 games. Zach Neto broke a 23-game homerless drought with a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning that traveled 410 feet toward the bullpens in left field. Neto had been struggling significantly, going 0-for-23 before recording a single in the third inning, which was followed by a pickoff at first base. He described the moment as returning to feeling good at the plate: "It felt amazing. I was in the biggest slump ever in my career, and just to hear that sound off the bat again, it reminded me a lot of the good things." Mike Trout and Jorge Soler also contributed home runs to secure the victory. Aldegheri limited damage in his first Angels start, allowing two runs on four hits with two walks across four innings on 69 pitches without recording a strikeout.

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto broke a 0-for-23 slump on a night when he and teammate Mike Trout opened Pokemon card packs before their game against the Chicago White Sox. Trout suggested the activity as a mental reset and predicted that if they pulled a Charizard, both would hit home runs that evening. Neto pulled the Charizard, and both players delivered on the prediction. Trout homered in the first inning (his 11th of the season, extending his career total to 415), while Neto first snapped his hitless streak with a single before delivering a go-ahead solo home run in the fifth inning. Jorge Soler also contributed a home run for Los Angeles, and Nolan Schanuel added an RBI double. The Angels won 4-3 after Ryan Zeferjahn escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning. For Neto, the pregame Pokemon card moment provided both a mental reset and a viral clubhouse moment that coincided with breaking out of his slump.

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto rebounded from one of the worst slumps of his career with a 2-for-4 performance including a solo home run in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Prior to entering Tuesday's game, Neto had struggled significantly: through 36 games he posted a .210/.323/.371 batting line, marking career lows in both batting average and slugging percentage. He was also mired in a five-game hitless streak, hadn't homered since April 10 (a 23-game drought), and led the league in strikeouts.

Neto's turnaround featured an unusual catalyst. He and teammate Mike Trout engaged in a pre-game Pokémon card-opening session, joking that if they pulled a Charizard, Neto would hit a home run. The prediction proved prophetic: both players hit solo home runs, with Neto's fifth-inning blast providing crucial insurance in the 3-2 lead the Angels would maintain for the win.

After the game, Neto attributed his breakthrough to the mental reset provided by the lighthearted activity. "It's just the little things to get my head out of baseball a little bit. Sometimes that's what you need," he explained. He credited the Charizard card specifically, acknowledging that the symbolic value of the rare card may help sustain his momentum moving forward.

Angels shortstop Zach Neto was in a significant slump entering Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox, having gone hitless in his previous 18 at-bats and dropping his batting average by 30 points. To relieve the pressure, Trout texted Neto that morning suggesting they open Pokémon cards together, with a specific prediction: if they found a Charizard card, both would hit home runs. The prediction proved accurate. Neto pulled a Charizard card from the pack, and both players homered in the Angels' 4-3 victory, with Trout's home run traveling 367 feet in the first inning and Neto's blast going to left center in the fifth. Neto credited the Charizard card for helping break his slump, noting that sometimes "little things" help get his head out of baseball. This marks another instance of Pokémon appearing in MLB, following Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski's discovery of a rare red Charizard card after a win against the Mets in August. For the season, Neto is batting .218 with 6 home runs and 16 RBIs.