"The sword goes on the left hip, not the right" - Trevor Bauer reacts after opposition hitter mocks his trademark strikeout celebration

Trevor Bauer's penchant for the dramatic has been a defining feature of his baseball career. Now, despite dealing with the prospect of never playing in MLB again, the pitcher is doubling down on his more controversial trademarks.

On May 15, Bauer made his most recent start for the Mexican League's Diablos del Rojos against the Pericos de Puebla. In the fifth inning, Leo German of Pericos hit a double off Bauer.

When German pulled into second, he imitated Bauer's infamous sword celebration, which drew backhanded praise from the former MLB ace.

"This is hilarious but for future reference, the sword goes on the left hip, not the right. But well done regardless" - BauerOutage

In a post-game reply on X, Trevor Bauer claimed that the Pericos players were executing the celebration wrong. According to Bauer, "the sword goes on the left hip, not the right."

Although Bauer's gesture began while he was pitching in MLB, it began to gain widespread attention when he was pitching for NPB's Yokohama Bay Stars in 2023. When a strikeout is made, Bauer imitates a sword motion, as if to "slash down" the batter.

"I guess the Giants broadcast team isn't a fan of the Trevor Bauer sword celebration" - Blake Harris

In June 2021, Bauer was in his first season of a three-year, $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers when his career would change forever.

A woman came forward claiming that Bauer had assaulted her during a sexual encounter that began as a consensual one. Although no criminal charges were ever brought, Bauer was suspended for 194 games in late 2021.

Instead of re-enlisting in MLB when he became eligible, Bauer opted to play for the BayStars in 2023, where he went 10-4 with a 2.76 ERA. Although there were reports of Bauer's Japanese teammates taking umbrage with the sword gesture in American media, the move became very popular amongst fans, particularly young ones, during Bauer's stint in Yokohama.

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Trevor Bauer keeps trademark persona despite signing struggles

After striking out 14 in his Mexican League debut, Bauer was selected for the league's All-Star team. In response to the news, the former Cincinnati Reds Cy Young winner tweeted:

"Honored to be elected to the all-star game here in LMB! Has anyone been an all star in LMB, NPB, and MLB before? Im sure it’s been done, I just don’t know where to find that info. Can someone help me out?"

Although his suspension has expired, Trevor Bauer is finding that many MLB teams are put off by his history. Perhaps convincing potential suitors in MLB that he will not be off-field headache is the 33-year-old's largest concern at the moment.