Few scenes in sports generate the adrenaline and buzz of a closer's entrance in an MLB game.
Picture yourself at a pivotal night game, and your favorite team is clinging to a one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning. The lights dim, and the closer runs in from the bullpen with his signature music booming over the stadium speakers. Flashes abound as fans snap photos of the moment. By the time he delivers his first pitch, the crowd is fully lathered up.
Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera boast two of the best-known closer entrances ever. Hoffman famously entered San Diego Padres games in the 1990s and 2000s to the strains of AC/DC's "Hells Bells," and Rivera jammed to Metallica's "Enter Sandman" during his prime with the New York Yankees.
With all that in mind, Athlon Sports presents the list of MLB closer entrance songs for 2026:
American League East
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Baltimore Orioles
Closer: Ryan Helsley
Entrance song: "Hells Bells" by AC/DC
Helsley comes over from the Mets this season to assume the closer's role with the Orioles. His soundtrack hearkens back to Hoffman, a classic choice from the ageless Australian rockers.
Boston Red Sox
Closer: Aroldis Chapman
Entrance song:"La Vida Es Un Carnaval" by Celia Cruz
It's been many years since Chapman broke in with the Reds, throwing 104 mph heat in 2010. Now 38, Chapman is still dealing in his second season as Boston's closer. His soundtrack is a 1998 salsa staple.
New York Yankees
Closer: David Bednar
Entrance song:"Renegade" by Styx
"Renegade" isn't just for Pittsburgh Steelers home games. Bednar, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at last year's trade deadline, marches in from the Yankees bullpen to the 1978 Styx standard.
Tampa Bay Rays
Closer: Committee
The Rays do a lot of things differently, so it shouldn't be a surprise that they utilize a closer-by-committee approach. Griffin Jax enters games to "Wild Trip" by DENM and Landon McNamara, and Garrett Cleavinger grooves to "Another Day in Paradise" by Quinn XCII.
Toronto Blue Jays
Closer: Jeff Hoffman
Entrance song:"Alive (Nightmare)" by Kid Cudi
Hoffman has traveled a circuitous career path. He was drafted in the first round by the Blue Jays in 2014 but played his first five MLB seasons with the Rockies. After stints with the Reds and Pirates, he's now in his second season as the Jays' closer. He taps Cleveland rapper Kid Cudi for his soundtrack.
American League Central
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Chicago White Sox
Closer: Committee
Seranthony Dominguez, who recorded Chicago's first save of the season, walks out to "BSO - Juego de Tronos," composed by Ramin Djawadi,
from the "Game of Thrones" soundtrack. Chris Murphy and Jordan Hicks also have recorded saves for the White Sox early this season.
Cleveland Guardians
Closer: Cade Smith
Entrance song:"Fire It Up" by Thousand Foot Krutch
Smith is a Canadian, hailing from Abbotsford, British Columbia, so it makes sense that he would select a band from Canada to provide his entrance soundtrack. Thousand Foot Krutch is a Christian metal band from Peterborough, Ontario.
Detroit Tigers
Closer: Kenley Jansen
Entrance song:"Correct" by Connor Price and Bens
New Tigers closer Kenley Jansen is not Canadian — he's a Curaçao native. But like Smith, he taps a Canadian artist for his entrance sounds. Price is a rapper and actor from the Toronto area.
Kansas City Royals
Closer: Carlos Estévez
Entrance song:"Monaco" by Bad Bunny
Estévez led the majors with 42 saves in 2025, but he's nursing a foot injury to start this season. In the meantime, Lucas Erceg is filling in for Estévez as closer to the tune of "Bamboo" by Bay Area rapper E-40.
Minnesota Twins
Closer: Cole Sands
Entrance song: "Sandstorm" by Darude
Sands is relatively new to the closer role, as he entered the season with just eight career saves. Nevertheless, the Twins will turn to him in late-inning situations to the tune of the 1999 techno staple whose title plays off his name.
American League West
Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Athletics
Closer: Committee
Veteran right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. recorded the first save of the season for the Athletics, so let's consider him the front-runner for the role at this point. He trots out to the mound to "The Mountain" by Dierks Bentley.
Houston Astros
Closer: Josh Hader
Entrance song:"Fireman" by Lil Wayne
Hader might have the most appropriate entrance jam in MLB with "Fireman." He opens the season on the injured list, however, meaning that Bryan Abreu will fill in as closer to the tune of "Monaco" by Bad Bunny.
Los Angeles Angels
Closer: Jordan Romano
Entrance song: "Tsunami" by DVBBS and Borgeous
Romano is another Canadian among the MLB closer ranks, hailing from Markham, Ontario. The two-time All-Star taps the 2014 electronica song by Canadian duo DVBBS and American DJ Borgeous as his walk-in jam in his first season with the Angels.
Seattle Mariners
Closer: Andrés Muñoz
Entrance song: "Pepas (David Guetta Remix)" by Farruko, David Guetta
Another two-time All-Star, Muñoz, selects the 2021 Latin summer anthem "Pepas" for his soundtrack. The song is a logical nod to his roots in Los Mochis, Mexico.
Texas Rangers
Closer: Tyler Alexander
Entrance song:"Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish
Alexander, a Southlake Carroll High and TCU alum, joins his hometown team this season to become a full-time closer for the first time in his career. He picks a Billie Eilish song from 2019, which coincides with his MLB debut that same year.
National League East
Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
Atlanta Braves
Closer: Raisel Iglesias
Entrance song:"Repórtense" by Don Omar
Iglesias is a Cuba native, and he keeps things in the Caribbean with the 2006 song by Puerto Rican rapper Don Omar. Iglesias, who led the NL with 57 games finished in 2025, is in his fourth season as the Braves' closer.
Miami Marlins
Closer: Pete Fairbanks
Entrance song:"Anthem Part Two" by Blink-182
Fairbanks comes over to Miami from Tampa Bay, where he saved 75 games over the previous three seasons. He salutes San Diego pop-punk icons Blink-182 with his walk-in sounds.
New York Mets
Closer: Devin Williams
Entrance song:"From Nothing" by Key Glock
Williams, a two-time All-Star with the Brewers, comes to the Mets this year after one season across town with the Yankees. He hails from the St. Louis area, which is just a few hours up the road from Memphis, home of rapper Key Glock. Williams opts for the 2023 track "From Nothing" off the album "Glockoma 2."
Philadelphia Phillies
Closer: Jhoan Duran
Entrance song:"El Incomprendido" by Farruko (mixed with "Hot" by Pitbull and Daddy Yankee)
The Durantula just might have the coolest closer entrance in baseball, with the scoreboards at Citizens Bank Park featuring giant spiders upon his arrival. The Dominican closer selects a 2021 track from Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Farruko as his entry jam.
Washington Nationals
Closer: Committee
Clayton Beeter recorded the first save of the season for the Nationals in Chicago against the Cubs on March 29. Alas, Washington doesn't list an entrance song for him.
National League Central
Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Chicago Cubs
Closer: Daniel Palencia
Entrance song:"Gasolina" by Daddy Yankee
Palencia registered 22 saves in his first season in the closer role last year. The Venezuelan right-hander picks 2004's "Gasolina" by Puerto Rican artist Daddy Yankee as his entrance sounds.
Cincinnati Reds
Closer: Emilio Pagán
Entrance song:"Kingdom" by Downstait
"Kingdom" is best known as the entrance music of pro wrestler Cody Rhodes. In fact, Indiana metallists Downstait wrote the song specifically for Rhodes. But now Pagán is jamming to those same chords at Great American Ball Park.
Milwaukee Brewers
Closer: Trevor Megill
Entrance song:"The Four Horsemen" by Metallica
Megill earned an All-Star nod last season on his way to recording 30 saves for the division-winning Brew Crew. He's only 32 years old, but he reaches for a metal classic from Metallica's 1983 debut album.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Closer: Committee
Mexican right-hander José Urquidy rocks to "El Corrido De Mazatlán" by Banda El Recodo, and Dominican left-hander Gregory Soto rolls to "Etel" by Mestizo Is Back and Puyalo Pantera.
St. Louis Cardinals
Closer: Another committee
Your options: Riley O'Brien ("Spicy" by Nas), JoJo Romero ("Suavemente" by Elvis Crespo), and Ryne Stanek ("Still D.R.E." by Dr. Dre).
National League West
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Arizona Diamondbacks
Closer: Paul Sewald
Entrance song:"Jump Around" by House of Pain
Sewald was only a toddler when Irish-flavored hip-hop trio House of Pain released "Jump Around" in 1992. In the three decades since, the song has become a stadium anthem around the sports world — including famously at University of Wisconsin football games.
Colorado Rockies
Closer: Yet another committee
Jimmy Herget recorded the first save of the season for the Rockies bullpen committee, so he gets the nod here. Herget walks out to "Back on My BS" by BigXthaPlug.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Closer:Edwin Díaz
Entrance song:"Narco" by Timmy Trumpet and Blasterjaxx
The rich get richer as Díaz joins the high-spending Dodgers from the Mets in free agency. He brings with him a famous entrance song, and the Dodgers employed a live trumpet player, jazz artist Tatiana Tate, for Díaz's first appearance of 2026.
San Diego Padres
Closer: Mason Miller
Entrance song:"Blind" by Korn
Miller, arguably the best closer in baseball today, moved downstate from Sacramento to San Diego last summer when the Padres acquired him for in a trade package that included prized prospect Leo De Vries. Miller keeps his entrance music in the Golden State by tapping Bakersfield metal titans Korn and their 1994 track "Blind."
San Francisco Giants
Closer: Ryan Walker
Entrance song:"DROP!" by Forrest Frank
Walker is a long shot made good. He was a 31st round draft pick out of Washington State University in 2018, but he advanced all the way to the majors by 2023. With 28 career saves under his belt entering 2026, Walker taps Christian artist Forrest Frank for his entry soundtrack.
