Edwin Díaz made his official Los Angeles Dodgers debut in their 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, which included his familiar entrance to the song “Narco” by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet.
While Timmy Trumpet wasn’t at Dodger Stadium to play his portion of the tune, the team still brought in Long Beach-based trumpeter Tatiana Tate to cover the famous melody.
“I was surprised,” Díaz said of the live performance. “I heard a trumpet before I was coming out and I said, ‘No way they got a live trumpet.’ It was pretty fun. I enjoyed it and I know the fans enjoyed it too.”
Díaz became synonymous with “Narco” during his time with the New York Mets, but he doesn’t mind keeping the tradition alive on the West Coast.
“Not really,” Díaz answered when asked if it was weird hearing the trumpets at Dodger Stadium. “I’m here, and my goal is to win.
“I was in New York, but now I’m here. So I’m enjoying the time with this team. We’ve got a really good team and I’ve got to keep doing my job to hear the trumpets here at Dodger Stadium now.”
The Dodgers pulled off one of the offseason’s most surprising moves when they signed Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract that made him the highest-paid relief pitcher in MLB history with an average annual salary of $23 million.
The right-hander has been one of the best relievers in baseball over the last decade and gives the Dodgers their first established closer since Kenley Jansen departed after the 2021 season.
Edwin Díaz ‘huge’ for Dodgers bullpen
Díaz’s impact has already been evident as he recorded two saves in the Dodgers’ season-opening sweep of the Diamondbacks. The three-time All-Star has posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 12 strikeouts per nine in three appearances so far.
“It’s great. It is,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of having Díaz in the closer role. “I think that the dependability, the constant of having somebody at the back end that you trust and who has a track record.
“It just kind of allows, and tonight was an example where we go short with the starter, and then you have a way to deploy the ‘pen in rightful spots for them to have success, all the while knowing you have a guy at the back end that is a shutdown guy, so you kind of manage with what you have in the ‘pen, but to have a guy at the back end is huge.”
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