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This trumpet-fueled walk-on song is professional baseball's latest craze

Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets and musician Timmy Trumpet pose for a photo before a game between the Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field in New York City on Aug. 30.
Jim McIsaac
/
Getty Images
Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets and musician Timmy Trumpet pose for a photo before a game between the Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field in New York City on Aug. 30.

If you haven't heard it before, prepare for an earworm.

"Narco," by Australian musician Timmy Trumpet and the Dutch DJ duo Blasterjaxx, has become an attraction of its own at New York Mets games of late.

It's the walk-on music for star relief pitcher Edwin Díaz, whose recent success on the mound has spiked along with fan fervor for his entrance tune.

The dance hit with an infectious trumpet line and driving bass has gotten so popular with baseball fans that the Mets invited Timmy Trumpet onto the field to play the walk-on music live during a matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers in late August.

More often, though, it's the New York team's mascots — Mr. and Mrs. Met — who contort themselves playing fake trumpets during the song as it echoes through Citi Field in Queens. Some fans also join in.

Now "Narco" is played across the world of sports, from college football marching bands to the loudspeakers at NHL games.

With the Mets entering the MLB playoffs and Díaz set to play a key role in the team's strategy, the song isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Narco" came out in 2017, but the song is enjoying another wave of popularity thanks to Díaz, with the song recently ranking high up on Spotify's viral charts.

"It's really out of this world basically, especially since it's a track that's been out for five years already," Blasterjaxx member Thom Jongkind told The New York Post in August.

"Usually when you release a track ... it needs, like, a half-year or year maximum. Now, after five years, it's rising up again," he added.

Not everyone is a fan. In early September, comedian Jerry Seinfeld cracked that the team's recent struggles could be traced to "Narco" and Timmy Trumpet's on-field performance, Yahoo! Sports reported.

"I blame that stupid Trumpet performance," Seinfeld said on social media. "Celebrating in season. We haven't won anything yet. Bad mojo."

Díaz, 28, was traded to the Mets by the Seattle Mariners in 2018. At first, he struggled to thrive in New York City but has since become the best closer in baseball, according to ESPN.

Born in Naguabo, Puerto Rico, Díaz has returned to the island to help with relief efforts after natural disasters and to hold baseball clinics for Little League players.

He'll represent Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic in March.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Joe Hernandez
[Copyright 2024 NPR]