Yankee Hall-Of-Famer Brings The Heat To Morris Co. At Sauce Showcase

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The New York Yankee who once brought the heat on the mound is now bringing the heat to dinner tables.

Mariano Rivera, widely regarded as the greatest closing pitcher in Major League Baseball history, stopped in Morristown on Thursday to showcase his new hot sauce brand, “Mo’s Heat.”

Hundreds of fans flocked to the ShopRite on East Hanover Avenue to meet The Sandman and get a look at what Mo’s Heat has to offer.

Over his 19-year career in Yankee pinstripes, Rivera set the all-time MLB record with 652 career saves and posted a remarkable 2.21 earned run average (ERA). He was a 13-time All-Star and became legendary for his dominance in the postseason, where he recorded a microscopic 0.70 ERA and 42 postseason saves.

He retired in 2013 and, in 2019, became the first and only player to be unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

To Rivera, being successful on the mound and running a successful business requires similar qualities. He notes one needs to be “passionate, committed, and devoted” to what they believe in, whether that is resurrecting a 122-year-old Panamanian hot sauce recipe or winning five World Series rings.

“I believe in this sauce, not only because it’s ‘me,’ but because it’s great,” Rivera told Patch. “When I was playing, I always wanted to give my best. I’ve always been like that. So any business, anything that I take on, it has to be something good that I believe in. That I can put my name on and run with."

Rivera’s sauce can be traced back to his hometown of Puerto Caimito, Panama. Created 122 years ago, the habanero-based sauce has undergone “enhancements” that celebrate Panama’s “flavor, character, and fire.”

The officially licensed Major League Baseball hot sauces come in three flavors, aptly named after pitches:

• "The Cutter is the signature sauce, a balanced blend that starts smooth, then builds into a satisfying, lingering heat. Best paired with soups, pastas, meat, fish, shellfish, sandwiches, rice, and pizza. (Mo tells us he's been using this one for 25 years.)

• The Curve is bright and herbaceous with a crisp but balanced heat from green habaneros. The freshest of the heats, it pairs well with all your favorite foods.
• The Sinker is the most approachable sauce, offering a richer and more rounded flavor, featuring fully ripened peppers with gradual heat and subtle sweetness. Can be best paired with meat, pasta, fish, shellfish, sandwiches, or grilled vegetables."

"I believe in legacy. When I was pitching, I was bringing my all to the team and to the Yankee fans to win,” Rivera told Patch. “With this sauce, I truly believe that this is a home run… We’ve come up with something special from our roots, from Panama… We decided this was something that we needed to bring outside Panama.”

Click here to learn more about Mo's Heat.