NEW YORK (AP) — Trumpets blare, the bullpen door pops open — here comes Edwin Díaz, baseball’s most dominant closer.
Cue the fiesta at Citi Field.
Once the regular target of angry boos, and decried a rotten egg in the Big Apple, Díaz has become the toast of the town with the New York Mets, one electric save at a time.
The All-Star reliever is overpowering hitters at a record rate during a sensational season, helping the Mets build their NL East cushion and putting him in the Cy Young Award conversation.
“How he’s been able to kind of reinvent himself and really just maximize what he can do, it’s just really special,” Mets slugger Pete Alonso said.
“We know that when Eddie gets the ball, he’s going to shut the door.”
In addition to his pitching, Díaz’s newfound popularity in Queens is largely due to his catchy entrance song “ Narco “ by Blasterjaxx & Timmy Trumpet. When the Mets take a lead into the ninth inning, “Sound the horns!” is what fans proclaim from living-room couches to the upper levels of Citi Field.
The tune sets off a two-minute party all around the ballpark — with Mr. and Mrs. Met pretending to play trumpets as Díaz jogs in from the outfield and warms up on the mound. Young and old bounce gleefully in the stands, clapping right along and mimicking the dancing mascots by using empty beer and water bottles for makeshift horns.
It’s almost like a cut from the movie “Major League,” with Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn summoned from the bullpen to “give ‘em the heater” as the crowd goes crazy.
Then, most Mets fans remain standing, roaring and rocking with each pitch as a pumped-up Díaz often strikes out the side to secure another win.
It’s a fun, familiar scene in New York this season that wentviral nationwide last weekend while the hard-throwing Díaz saved three games in a pivotal series against Atlanta.
The only hiccup came Thursday night, when he entered earlier than usual in the eighth. Perhaps caught off guard with scheduled promotions running, stadium staff didn’t get “Narco” going until Díaz was already on the mound.
“I was trying to run (in) at the same pace of the song,” he said with a laugh.
Díaz used the same music years ago with the Mariners — though not everyone noticed back then.
“When I was in Seattle, they picked that song for me. I liked it. And when I got here, I changed it. My wife told me to put that song (on) again. People will love it,” Díaz said.
He went back to “Narco” in 2020 with the Mets and it’s become such a big hit, he even plays it at home for his kids.
“It’s unbelievable. He had a good one in Seattle. This one is amazing,” said Díaz’s father, also named Edwin. “Every state’s going to know that song.”
