'Narco' artist Timmy Trumpet meets Edwin Diaz at Citi Field
Timothy Smith, a 40-year-old Australian who had never before been to a baseball game, was the guest of honor at Citi Field on Tuesday.
Better known as Timmy Trumpet, the musician/DJ who does the trumpety bits in “Narco,” Edwin Diaz’s increasingly popular entrance song, Smith did it all in his day at the ballpark: met Diaz, wore a “Trumpet” No. 39 Mets jersey, got a quick lesson before throwing the ceremonial first pitch and, of course, played his trumpet. On his way out of the ballpark after the Mets’ 4-3 loss to the Dodgers, he said he’d come back Wednesday, for another chance to play the song live if Diaz gets into the game.
“It’s absolutely insane,” Smith said. “It’s incredibly humbling and a great honor that a world-class athlete is using my song as inspiration to run on that pitch. This guy is such a professional that he could do this with any song. I’m very thankful to the Mets supporters and anyone that’s adding this track to their playlist and supporting Narco. But most importantly, I want to thank Diaz, because he’s the one that picked it. I’m just really, really thankful.”
Even for someone who travels the world for work —Europe earlier this month, Miami over the weekend, Singapore on Thursday — playing his music at festivals and in clubs, being in a 42,000-person stadium was gawk-worthy.
“In America, I’ve never had anything of this magnitude,” he said, “and none of it would be possible without Diaz.”
It wouldn’t be possible without Diaz’s wife, Nashley, either. The origin story of Diaz and “Narco” goes like this: In 2018, the year after the song came out, Mariners employees presented Diaz, their closer, with several options for his new walk-out song, as every lock-down reliever needs. He liked “Narco” the most, then had the best season of his life, including a majors-leading 57 saves and his first All-Star nod.
When the Brodie Van Wagenen-run Mets acquired him prior to the 2019 season, he switched to "No Hay Limite" by Mike Woodz.
“Coming to New York, a more Latin place, I thought putting on a Puerto Rican song would maybe get the crowd into it,” Diaz said.
What followed was a miserable debut season in Queens. His 5.59 ERA and seven blown saves turned him into a frequent target of boos at Citi Field. Then came a big offseason decision.
“My wife told me, ‘You should use the trumpets again,’” Diaz said.
And so he did, bringing “Narco” back for the pandemic-shortened, fan-less season of 2020. He has used it ever since, with fans clapping and singing along — the enthusiasm more and more obvious as this excellent season, for the Mets and for Diaz, has developed. After SNY’s video of his stadium-shaking entrance went viral this month, the musician and the closer got in touch.
“What I like most so far are the fans,” Smith said. “The people in the crowd, I’m watching the videos of them react to the track that Diaz picked, is just insane. They’re wild. It actually reminds me of one of the festivals that we just did. It looks like a big party. That was the intention of the song when we wrote I tin the first place, so it’s a huge honor.”
The song has helped turn Mets fans into Diaz fans — and, in turn, led to Smith becoming a Mets fan.
“I gotta concentrate and get to the game and do my job,” Diaz said. “But as soon as I start running [in from the bullpen], I can see the fans get into the song, the vibe. That’s pretty special. That’s pretty cool.”
Extra bases
Carlos Carrasco (strained left oblique) threw more than 50 pitches in a successful simulated game Monday, Showalter said, and “should fit back into the rotation, hopefully, by the end of the week.” If the Mets keep him on normal rest, he would pitch Saturday against the Nationals ... The Dodgers announced that Clayton Kershaw (lower-back pain) will return from the injured list Thursday to face the Mets . . . Infielder Yolmer Sanchez cleared waivers and was sent to Triple-A Syracuse . . . The Knicks’ Obi Toppin also threw a first pitch Tuesday.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
