ACE IN EXILE

TREVOR BAUER WAS DRUMMED OUT OF THE MAJORS AFTER FACING SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS. BUT IN JAPAN, IT'S BAUER MANIA

- KENJI HALL

IN THE RIGHT FIELD stands, the fans are on their feet. A trumpet-and-drum corps-the Yokohama DeNA Baystars' official õendan, or cheering group-leads the crowd at Yokohama Stadium in the Three Call, a rousing fanfare for the home team's pitcher. The fans are clapping and thwacking plastic bats to the beat and singing along.

"Bauer! Bauer! Bauer! Let's go!" Under a bright, nearly cloudless sky, Trevor Bauer trots to the mound. He faces the outfield and performs his trademark warmup, churning his arm in circles before turning toward the plate and firing the ball at the standing catcher. The crowd lets out a surprised "Oooh!" In the on-deck circle, Takayoshi Noma, an outfielder for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, is watching intently. The Baystars faithful are finally getting what they have been waiting for: a close-up of the 2020 National League Cy Young winner, an MLB ace in exile, in his first major league start in Japan.

The day's turnout of 33,202 has set a new home-game record. Fans were allowed to return to the ballpark in July 2020, but this is the first season in three years that franchise officials have relaxed the COVID-19-related restrictions to allow singing and cheering, and the sound of thousands belting out a tune in unison is tremendous. Nobody gets a roar from the crowd like Bauer. Fans have brought their T. BAUER towels and dressed in their No. 96 Bauer jerseys and WELCOME TO YOKOHAMA TREVOR BAUER T-shirts. Even some Carps supporters admit that he is the reason they're here.