From Future to Mötley Crüe: A peek into MLB players’ World Series playlists

If you’ve ever found yourself putting in the earbuds or cranking up the Bluetooth speaker when you really need to focus, you’re not alone. In baseball, the stakes don’t get any higher than the World Series, and as the old axiom goes: “Baseball players — they’re just like us!”

We asked some of the Yankees and Dodgers in this year’s Fall Classic for their current “hype song,” or what they listen to get in the zone before they head out on the field. Answers varied from country to grunge to salsa, but perhaps the most interesting takeaway was that many of the players we spoke to used music to calm themselves down, not hype themselves up.

Here’s what’s on their World Series playlist.

Some responses were lightly edited for length and clarity.

Clarke Schmidt, Yankees RHP

I’m always listening to Future before I pitch. “Dirty Sprite” is my favorite song. I’m listening to that whole album.

Jon Berti, Yankees 3B

It’s not really a specific song. It kind of depends on how I’m feeling overall. But it goes in waves of different genres of music. Before a game, it’s kind of like a — not a Calvin Harris, but something similar. Something like that, where it’s good vibes, upbeat. (Something to) put me in a pretty good mood before I go out on the field.

What do you listen to for the opposite mood?

For me, I’m naturally very — I have to find ways to calm myself down a little bit. I usually try not to listen to something that’s going to amp me up. For me, it’s finding ways to relax my muscles. Relax my body and mind to allow my natural abilities and fast-twitch abilities to take over.

Alex Vesia, Dodgers LHP

It’s a small little playlist. There’s one rap song. Then there are three songs by Mötley Crüe. And then the last song is by Danzig (“Blood And Tears”). It’s like one of my favorite songs.

Marcus Stroman, Yankees RHP

Anything by my buddy mike. His whole new album, man. “the lows.” I had a little part in it. I had a producer credit. I just love every song on that album, honestly.

Michael Kopech, Dodgers RHP

“Change on the Rise” by Avi Kaplan. I actually got to meet him the other day. He came out and sang the national anthem for us. It was cool. … That one feels like it’s speaking to my soul a little bit more. It kind of keeps me grounded. I like that a lot.

Singing the National Anthem for the Dodgers NLCS Playoff Game today in LA! I’ll be going live on Instagram at 12:50p PST! 🇺🇸⚾️ pic.twitter.com/OaLMO3GqvF

— Avi Kaplan (@Avi_Kaplan) October 14, 2024

Carlos Rodón, Yankees LHP

“My Own Prison” by Creed is one of my favorite songs. The day I start, I drive myself to the field, and that’s kind of my time to myself. Music’s really important. It depends. I go anywhere from some sort of pop to hip-hop to rock. I have a grunge rock song as my walkout (“Rooster” by Alice in Chains). I was listening to Creed the last time at home. Young Dolph. I go everywhere, man.

Michael Grove, Dodgers RHP

“Grove Street Party” by Waka Flocka. That was courtesy of Gavin Lux. When I debuted in 2022, it was my fourth start of the year, and I didn’t have a walk-up song, so they played whatever. And Gavin came up to me and asked “Why do you not have a walk-up song?” I was like, “I don’t know, I just don’t really have one.” I guess he texted someone. Before my next start, I heard it come on, and I looked back at him and he was laughing.

Gleyber Torres, Yankees 2B

I think it’s going to be salsa. Every time before the game, I just try to hear salsa. That’s going to be my superstition.

Mark Leiter Jr., Yankees RHP

“The Mountain” by Dierks Bentley. It came out right when I had my Tommy John. I was rehabbing in Dunedin, Fla., and I would go out for my final run of the day and listen to that song a couple of times. It was just about taking one step at a time, and not looking up. Because when you look up, there’s another tough task ahead. Just keep moving forward.

It’s kind of brought me through tough times and having to bear down, so it’s something that’s meant a lot to me. I have it on repeat for a few minutes, and I’ll be like, “All right, I’m good.”

Luke Weaver, Yankees RHP

In a perfect world, I would just sit out here and listen to the bird chirps or hear the stillness or the quietness. I think it’s really nice to always have something that’s just very chill mood and vibes. Something that keeps you neutral, even-keeled. I walk out to “Dream Weaver” by Gary Wright at home. They picked that for me … It just kind of rifles through. NEEDTOBREATHE is a good one — not a particular song, just a good band.

Landon Knack, Dodgers RHP

It gets me vibing out. More relaxed, into the mindset of what I’m about to do. It was originally a mantra for last year because I had a rough 2022. And so 2023 was thought of as a “return of the Knack” year. And so we went with “Return of the Mack” by Mark Morrison as the song. We stuck with it, and it gets me into that thought process.

Tim Mayza, Yankees LHP

I listen to some stuff that calms me down a little bit. I tend to run a little high, and blood pressure gets a little high to begin with. I usually listen to something slower. When it comes to music, I go with more of a mood than a song in particular.

Any song that’s helped?

I’ve been on a Luke Combs kick, especially with his new album. It’s about enjoying his kids. I listen to that album just to slow down a little bit. And look at this experience through a different lens.

(Top illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic)