How Edwin Diaz’s entrance song at Mets games caught fire and where it ranks among best in MLB history

Abraham Smith

It begins with an ominous tune that swirls around the Citi Field booths. A shadowy figure emerges from metal gates just as the drumline gets going.

Then the trumpets come in. They blare through the stadium speakers, their flowery rhythm capturing the hearts and minds of the thousands who have flocked to Flushing to see their beloved Mets play. With just three outs left in the game, New York is on the verge of victory. So why not greet your opponent with a requiem of defeat?

It’s the performance song by Mets Closer Edwin Diaz. And it is splendid. The horns. the groove The way it evokes so much about Diaz’s personality. It’s really worth seeing:

And it’s one of the biggest spectacles of the 2022 MLB season. Diaz has been electric all year — averaging a preposterous 18.1 strikeouts per nine innings and looking like Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year.

Diaz’s routine is clearly paying off. But how did he end up using the funky track? And who really has the best walkout songs in MLB history? Sporting News has you covered.

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What is the name of Edwin Diaz’s opening song?

The opening song by Diaz is called Narco by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet. The song has been out since 2017 and is accompanied by a rather sick video showing a knight embarking on a long and dirty journey on horseback. Because of course it does.

Why does Edwin Diaz use Narco as his opening song?

The origin of Diaz’s decision to use the track with a blaring trumpet is unknown at the moment. However, one thing is clear; “Narco” made a huge impression on Diaz, who chose to pick the song as his go-to strike track while in Seattle.

Fueled by his pitch and track choices, Diaz found success. In 2018, he accumulated 57 saves with a 1.61 ERA while earning Cy Young and MVP votes.

When Diaz was dealt to the Mets in 2019, he made one change. He found a new song – “No Hay Limite” by Mike Woodz.

Diaz continued to have one of the worst seasons of his career, blowing saves left and right en route to an abysmal 5.59 ERA. yuck

In 2020, Diaz switched back to Narco. Since then it’s been running smoothly.

“In 2020, I wanted to do whatever made me successful in my Seattle days,” Díaz said last season, per MLB.com. “So I decided to come back to that. I’m going to stick with it because I’m comfortable with this music and it kind of motivates me and gives me energy to get out there and pitch.”

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Diaz isn’t the only one motivated by it. Recently, even Mets manager Buck Showalter admitted to being a fan of the experience, which was Diaz’s strike. He delayed a ninth-inning trip to the bathroom to see Diaz come out. That’s an impressive achievement.

Mets fans even get involved. One fan even plans to use the track on his wedding day. Check out Diaz, so inspiring.

The best opening songs in MLB history

MLB history is littered with great assists who can make batters gasp with ease. But very few had performance songs that rivaled Diaz’s. Here’s The Sporting News’ take on the best opening songs in MLB history:

10. James Karinchak, “Wild Thing”

Karinchak is one of the most entertaining characters in baseball. It’s loud, fiery and throws absolute dirt. He also salutes the team and city he plays for, and uses the Wild Thing theme to great effect. He earns points for the major league innuendo as well as his burgeoning reputation as MLB’s newest version of Rick Vaughn.

9. Felix Bautista, Omar’s pipe

Omar is coming…

The Wire is one of the best shows in television history. And while there are valid criticisms of the show’s portrayal of Baltimore, it’s hard to deny its impact on the American psyche.

Few characters have inspired fear as much as Omar Little, a beautifully nuanced character played by the late Michael K. Williams. When Omar came it was time to go inside.

Bautista paid homage to Williams and his character this season by using a footage of Omar whistling as he walked down the street. It intimidates thugs and pays double tribute to a phenomenal actor we lost far too soon.

8. Koji Uehara, “Sandstorm”

“Sandstorm” is one of those songs that everyone knows but no one knows they know. It is an absolute fixture at sporting events around the world. And Uehara maintained the lineage of the song and used it throughout his Red Sox career. Oh, and he won a title with it.

This will get you on the list.

7. Trevor Hoffman, “Hell’s Bells”

Hoffman was a force on the hill, amassing 601 saves, an MLB record (until a certain Someone smashed it) en route to a Hall of Fame career. And nothing epitomized his ability to scare the hitters more than his use of the AC/DC track “Hells Bells” as he exited the bullpen. Wailing guitars and terrifying drumbeats have never sounded more intimidating than when Hoffman made his way to the hill in a one-run game.

6. Kenley Jansen, “California Love”

There’s nothing more West Coast than 2Pac, Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. And Kenley Jansen, one of the finest closers of his generation, paid homage to the synths and groove of ’90s West Coast hip-hop by using the classic tune as his walkout song during his Dodgers career.

Jansen, now in Atlanta, enters games backed by the soothing tones of Jermaine Dupri’s “Welcome to Atlanta.” But no matter how far he strays, Jansen’s heart will always belong to the Chavez Gorge.

5. Brian Wilson, “Jump Around”

Picture this: It’s the early 2010s and you’re an MLB hitter. They just had to deal with eight innings from Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain or Madison Bumgarner. Now it’s the top of the Ninth and you see some kind of bearded dragon heading towards the pitcher’s hill. What song is dancing in the background? None other than House of Pain’s hit “Jump Around”.

Wilson was a key part of the Giants’ 2010 World Cup roster. But it wasn’t just his beard — or his dirty pitching — that drew attention. His appreciation for 1990s culture was manifested in his use of “Jump Around” as his opening song. And it was one of the defining sounds of San Francisco’s dominance in the early 2010s.

4. Jonathan Papelbon, “I ship to Boston”

At his peak few closers were as consistent as Jonathan Papelbon. The six-time All-Star made his mark at Fenway, making 219 saves between 2005 and 2011.

Papelbon seemed to embrace the working class community around him. And he showed that relationship with his walkup song selection – “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” by Massachusetts’ Dropkick Murphys.

3. Eric Gagne, “Welcome to the Jungle”

Gagne was the Power pitchers of the early 2000s. He made 84 consecutive saves and won the NL Cy Young Award in 2003. His fastball regularly surpassed 100 miles per hour, although he played during a time when that wasn’t all that common.

All of this is to say Gagne was great. That was also the song he chose for his Hill Strike, Guns N’ Roses’ classic “Welcome to the Jungle.”

chills baby

2. Edwin Diaz, “Narco”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf8bv230cfo

Is it too early to categorize Diaz here? Possibly. But “narco” is it So groovy that it’s hard to deny it deserves a spot on the list. It’s going to take a lot of work to oust the #1 here. But Diaz was one of baseball’s best helpers when backed by the jazzy EDM track.

It also made 66-year-old Buck Showalter postpone a bathroom break. That will always get you #2 on the list.

1. Mariano Rivera, “The Sandman Enters”

There could only be one. The GOAT closer has the GOAT entrance song. “Enter Sandman” is a certified classic. It’s menacing. It’s Metallica. And it’s great.

Now when you combine these three with Mo, the greatest helper that ever lived, you get absolute perfection. The image of a confident Rivera staring his way up the hill has etched itself into many of our minds.

And given that Rivera secured 652 saves and scores of sawed-off bats while being accompanied by the legendary track, it’s hands down the best opening song in MLB history.

recognitions

These two pitchers might not have been known for their performance songs. Rather, no one would remember the songs playing when John Rocker and Heath Bell entered the game. They stole the show by showing off their bikes sprinting off the bullpen.

Really, every pitcher who sprints to the hill gets an honorable mention.

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