The New York Mets are having a dreadful season. After entering the year with the highest payroll in baseball, they immediately spun out and have been far removed from serious playoff contention for months. Fans have had to look in new directions for joy and entertainment, which rookie reliever Jefry Yan has happily supplied with his unique mound antics. A hard-throwing lefty, Yan stands out for his habit of celebrating strikeouts by jumping into the air and raising his legs. It’s something that no other Major League Baseball pitcher has done throughout the course of history and it’s a move that engenders some strong opinions. MORE: Jeffrey Yan’s epic celebration sparks debate on pitcher showmanship
Here is a sampling of Yan’s antics. It was only a matter of time until Yan did one of his flying jumps on a called strike three that would be reversed upon ABS challenge, and that blessed moment came Sunday against the Washington Nationals. After delivering what was ruled strike three against Nasim Nunez, Yan went leaping for joy. Then his celebration was rendered pointless when Nunez won his challenge. Undeterred, Yan went on to get the real strikeout later in the at-bat. It’s a wonderful bit of perseverance from an entirely self-inflicted setback. It’s clear that if Yan has not stopped doing his act by now that it’s very unlikely he’ll ever put it up on the shelf. That means there will be high highs and some hilarious lows in the karma department. Aug 15, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jefry Yan (84) reacts after a strike out against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters) But through five MLB outings, Yan has looked the part of a big leaguer, allowing just a single run in five innings of work with six strikeouts and six strikeout celebrations. Say what you want about it all but it does look good exercise. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —