MLB fraternity reacts to legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera checking into Brooklyn Nets game

Mariano Rivera, aka The Sandman, was photographed courtside at the Barclays Center on Saturday. He watched the Nets face the Knicks in an all-New York matchup.

The Brooklyn Nets outlasted the New York Knicks, winning 122-115 in a tightly contested battle that saw Kyrie Irving rise to the occasion. In the absence of Kevin Durant, Irving went off for 32 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

Rivera, who still looks like he is in game shape, hasn't made a lot of public appearances lately. He's mostly kept a low profile since his retirement in 2013. While it remains unknown which New York team he was supporting, one thing seems very clear: Mo is enjoying retirement.

Fans on Twitter were ecstatic to see Rivera at the game. Many paid tribute to the baseball legend. Others were speculating which team he supports.

The official Yankees page had no words, just a couple of goat emojis in tribute to the legend:

Mariano Rivera is the only player to be unanimously voted into the Hall of Fame

Mariano Rivera was arguably the most feared pitcher of his generation. He is the only player in MLB history to be unanimously voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Derek Jeter, Rivera's former teammate, came the closest, receiving 99.74% of votes.

Rivera amassed 652 saves during his 19-year MLB career. He also holds the all-time record for games finished (952) and ERA+ (205).

Rivers was a 13-time MLB All-Star and won five World Series titles with the Yankees. He was named the World Series MVP in 1999 after an incredible performance against the Atlanta Braves.

About the author

Nikhil is a tennis journalist at Sportskeeda and has six years of experience as a working professional. He has been playing the sport for almost two decades and has been a national-level player. He was ranked as high as 162 on AITA and 43 on the TNTA charts.

Nikhil believes that authenticity is the hallmark of good writing and strives to achieve it everyday when he gets in front of the desk. To get the information out in the best possible manner, he believes looks at multiple authentic sources while researching on the topic. He watches the sport ardently while also following it on social media platforms.

Nikhil considers Roger Federer to be the best player to have graced the sport and fell in love with the Swiss at first sight in 2006. He rates Wimbledon at the top among all other events on the tennis calendar due to Federer’s dominance on the grass court and the Major's charm and aura.

As for the ever-ongoing GOAT debate, Nikhil feels that both Federer and Rafael Nadal deserve the title as apart from being extraordinary tennis players, they are also exemplary all-round human beings.

Additionally, Nikhil’s hobbies include skating, cooking, and reading.

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