MLB closers have the unique opportunity to make grand entrances into games when called upon in the 9th inning, and many greats of the past such as Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Jonathan Papelbon had plenty of mystique and intrigue added to their appeal by having such fun entrances.
They’re almost like professional wrestlers, which is exactly what the Minnesota Twins closer pulls inspiration from when he comes into games these days.
There’s a new debate happening in MLB as Twins closer Jhoan Duran has gotten fans’ attention with his entrance that just keeps getting better and better from year to year, and people are wondering if he has supplanted New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz for the best entrance in baseball.
Diaz blows this out of the water.
The vibe is cool, song is lame
Dude is 6’5 260 lbs. beast
Duran, in a not-so-subtle nod to WWE legend The Undertaker, enters games as the lights cut out and church bells bellow throughout the stadium before his song hits amidst fans waving their cell phones around.
It’s a full-blown concert for a few minutes when Duran trots in before he blows everyone away with 104mph fastballs.
Perhaps Diaz’s absence last season due to the injury he suffered in the World Baseball Classic had fans forgetting how electric his entrance is, but it’s simply too early to give Duran this honor of having the best entrance.
He is certainly in the conversation, but this is only his second year as the closer, and having 37 career saves under your belt is not enough to grant him this title.
Hit the trumpets, because this title still belongs to Edwin Diaz.