Watch: Japanese league closer rides out of bullpen in sports car
This is why Japanese baseball is amazing: Yakult Swallows closer Yasuaki Yamazaki comes in from the bullpen on a sports car. pic.twitter.com/Cm19SHZxDa
— Joon Lee (@iamjoonlee) June 26, 2017
Who's the best closer in baseball? You could make a case for Craig Kimbrel or Kenley Jansen. Maybe Aroldis Chapman. Possibly even Roberto Osuna. Still, have any of those dudes ever been escorted from the bullpen to the mound IN A SPORTS CAR, PEOPLE?
Because Yasuaki Yamasaki of Yokohama DeNA BayStars is all about that life, getting driven to the mound in a luxury automobile for a recent appearance in the Japanese Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball.
To be fair, Yamasaki doesn't not deserve that royal treatment. In 32 appearances this season, the 24-year-old right-hander owns a 1.20 ERA and 11.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio, while notching 11 holds and eight saves.