Mets pitcher’s strikeout celebration embarrassingly backfires

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mets pitcher’s strikeout celebration embarrassingly backfires

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Aug 15, 2026 8:42 PM ET

New York Mets pitcher Jefry Yan has been turning a lot of heads in the big leagues with his unique celebration on the mound, but it also backfired on him late in Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field in Queens, N.Y.

With two outs and nobody on and the Mets trailing 5-4, Yan threw a fastball to Nationals second baseman Nasim Nuñez. Yan immediately broke out his patented celebration, leaping into the air before slapping the grass. However, the home plate umpire called the pitch a ball, prompting Yan to immediately challenge the call. Upon review, the call was confirmed as a ball. Yan simply smiled it off before locking back in to work.

Here is a video of the sequence.

Jefry Yan doing an ABS Challenge in the middle of a strikeout celebration is exactly what the Mets and baseball needed. pic.twitter.com/7o3Fn039eD
— Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero) August 15, 2026

Nevertheless, Yan ultimately got the job done, striking out Nuñez two pitches later. He pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, no hits and no walks while striking out three Nationals hitters.

Yan also got the win as the Mets pulled off a come-from-behind 5-4 victory after Francisco Lindor hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap New York’s rally.

There might be a lesson in there for Yan, but at least the day did not end much worse for him or the Mets, with New York coming away with a thrilling win.

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