New York Mets fans are captivated by Jefry Yan’s acrobatic celebration when he strikes out a batter in relief. Yan’s exuberant reaction on Saturday during the Mets’ dramatic walk-off win over the Washington Nationals at Citi Field gained widespread attention.
Yan made his Citi Field debut and, in the top of the ninth inning with an 0-2 count and two outs, believed he had secured a strikeout against Nasim Nuñez. His fastball appeared perfectly placed on the outside corner to end the inning.
Yan, midway through his celebration, realized the home plate umpire didn’t call strike three. Descending back onto the mound, he tapped the top of his hat, prompting an ABS review on the pitch.
The review upheld the umpire’s call for a ball.
Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen humorously remarked, “Now, that was funny,” on the SNY broadcast. Yan refocused and, two pitches later, successfully struck out Nuñez with a slider, warranting his joyous leap.
Heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets trailed by a run. Brett Baty initiated the inning with a walk, and Jorge Polanco’s single added tension by placing the winning run on base. Francisco Alvarez followed with a double to left field, tying the game, as Baty scored and the potential winning run advanced to third base.
Francisco Lindor then secured a victory for the Mets by singling home the winning run, sparking a celebration at Citi Field for Yan and his teammates. Yan recorded his first MLB win after delivering a scoreless 1.2 innings for the Mets.
The 29-year-old rookie Yan has made waves with his unique strikeout celebrations, a tradition he started in the minors. This energy has continued into his early performances in the major leagues. Before celebrating, Yan may now double-check the umpire’s ruling.
Yan expressed appreciation for the warm reception at Citi Field. Noting his three strikeouts that day, Yan holds a promising 1.80 ERA to date.
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