New York Mets reliever Jefry Yan went viral earlier this season for his eccentric celebration, but didn't bring as much fire to the mound in his MLB return Wednesday. Yan's celebration, which usually consists of a jump before he lands in a split and smacks the ground, no longer has its most recognizable element: The jump. The left-hander struck out three batters in his first MLB appearance since Sept. 5 on Wednesday, and while he celebrated all three times, he noticeably omitted the jump as well.
That didn't stop the southpaw from having a dominant outing, though, as he didn't allow a baserunner through three innings of work against the Baltimore Orioles. While his celebration is a little less enthusiastic, interim manager Andy Green still appreciates the energy Yan consistently brings to the team. There is a lot to like there.
Also the enthusiasm for the game is fun to have in the dugout, even when you are having a tough day. He loves pitching for the Mets, and he did one heck of a job today." Yan made his MLB debut with the Mets in August, and has 14 appearances with the team so far. Through those 14 appearances, he has 20 strikeouts through 15.2 innings pitched with a 4.60 ERA.
His first stint spanned from Aug. 4 to Sept. 5, when he posted a a 5.68 ERA through 12.2 innings pitched. After his outing Sept. 5, the Mets optioned the left-hander to Triple-A in favor of Tobias Myers. He returned ahead of Wednesday's game after right-handers Daniel Duarte and Robert Stock both landed on the injured list, putting them out for the remainder of the season.
Yan has the last 10 days of the MLB regular season to establish himself in an MLB bullpen, and will look to do just that—whether it be with or without his signature jump. His high usage in Wednesday's game likely means he won't pitch in the Mets' series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, but he could very well appear in the second or third games of the series.
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