Jefry Yan celebrated a bit too early.
The Mets reliever unleashed his trademark jump celebration for what he thought was a strikeout during the ninth inning of the team’s 5-4 win over the Nationals Saturday night at Citi Field, though it ended up being premature.
The pitch was called a ball, and after realizing that, Yan challenged the call.
After review, the call stood as a ball.
“Now that was funny,” Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen said.
But Yan would have the last laugh.
Two pitches later, Yan got Nasim Nuñez to whiff on a slider for a strikeout to end the inning.
Yan again went into his jump celebration, and added a bit extra onto it for good measure.
“Now Yan can celebrate,” Cohen said.
Yan ended up being the winning pitcher, as the Mets rallied from down a run in the bottom of the ninth inning — with Francisco Lindor’s walkoff single securing the team’s eighth win in their last 11 games.
The Mets have somehow begun to string together wins since acting as big-time sellers at the trade deadline, which is when — with the bullpen depleted after those trades — Yan got his chance in the majors.
A 29-year-old rookie, he has given up just one run in five appearances.
His celebration after strikeouts — jumping in the air and then tapping the ground — has gone viral.
“I am going to enjoy my game any way that I want to,” Yan said through an interpreter after his debut, after Guardians fans in Cleveland booed him for the celebration.
But the reaction was different on Saturday, as Yan was making his Citi Field debut and was embraced by Mets fans.
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“I felt really welcomed today,” Yan said.
He struck out three batters in 1 2/3 scoreless innings pitches.
And there were four celebration dances, including his incorrect one.
