This Japanese Closer Enters Games in a Convertible And the Fans LOVE It

Most professional closers in leagues around the world have their own walk-up music or tradition for entering games. But exactly zero come onto the field in a more bada** way than Yokohama DeNA BayStars’ closer Yasuaki Yamasaki.

Check it out:

Yep – that’s (then) 22-year-old closer Yasuaki Yamasaki entering a ballgame via convertible back in 2015. And if my Google Translate skills are still sharp, he went on to record his 32nd save of the season that night (37 by the end of the year).

This season, Yamasaki, now 24, already has 8 saves and a stellar 1.20 ERA through 30.0 innings pitched. And hey, if you’re that good … maybe you can enter games however you want.

written by

Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

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