Mets Rookie's Leaping Celebration Goes Viral in MLB Debut

CLEVELAND — New York Mets rookie Jefry Yan marked the first strikeout of his major league career with a celebration that quickly spread online: a high leap with his feet spread apart, a landing on the front of the mound, and a slap of the grass with his left hand as he briefly dropped to a knee.

The 29-year-old left-hander was making his major league debut in the Mets' 6-5 win in Cleveland on Wednesday night. Pinch-hitter Angel Martínez took an 88.7 mph slider for a called third strike to open the Guardians' sixth inning. After the leap and the slap, Yan stood straight up with his feet together and lifted both arms over his head.

"Honestly, I was really excited. I was also a little nervous," Yan said through a translator.

"Once I had him with two strikes I said, you know what, I'm going to throw that slider," he said. "And if I freeze him, which is exactly what I did, I celebrated accordingly."

The move was not new. Yan used the same celebration after a strikeout in a Mets spring training game earlier this year.

His debut inning did not stay quiet. After Martínez struck out, the Guardians loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. Yan escaped without allowing a run, recording his second strikeout and then an inning-ending grounder.

"Once I was able to get out of the inning, I said, you know, I can finally breathe right here," he said.

Mets interim manager Andy Green praised the performance. "It's real stuff. It's really impressive," Green said. "To get out of a bases-loaded jam, get your first punchout, just excited for him. He deserves that."

Yan bounded off the mound after the inning, slapping his hand against his glove several times. Cleveland fans booed as he walked to the dugout with the Mets leading 4-3.

"If they want to yell at me, if they want to boo me, they can do whatever they want," Yan said. "I'm in my zone. And yeah, I'm going to enjoy my game any way that I want to."