Watch Metallica play ‘Enter Sandman’ for Yankees’ Mariano Rivera Day

New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera and Metallica will forever be linked.

For more than a decade, the heavy metal band’s hit “Enter Sandman” was blasted over the sound system at Yankee Stadium whenever baseball’s all-time saves leader would enter the game, indicating it was nighty-night time for the opposing team.

On Sunday the song was played a little earlier than usual. And this time it was played live.

In an unannounced surprise, Metallica was on hand before the game against the San Francisco Giants to help pay tribute to the legendary closer on Mariano Rivera Day, in honor of the pitcher in one of his final appearances at Yankee Stadium before his retirement after 19 seasons.

It was just part of the festivities as Rivera’s No. 42 jersey was retired by the Yankees. He will be the last player to ever wear the number, as Major League Baseball retired it in 1997 in honor of Jackie Robinson but allowed players who already wore 42 to keep it.

Singer James Hetfield shouted, “For you, Mariano!” before and after the song.

Even with two of the four members wearing very un-Metallica-like “Metallica” pinstriped baseball jerseys, the performance still rocked. Come on, it’s Metallica, how could it not?

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