Trevor Bauer strikes out three with one eye closed

Trevor Bauer may be one of the most unique players in the game. He did something we’ve never really seen before on Saturday, as he was pitching with one eye closed.

On multiple occasions, his right eye was shut and he was throwing to hitters with only one eye open. Well, it worked. Bauer finished the outing with three scoreless innings and three strikeouts.

“I figured if they can’t score off me with one eye open, it’s going to be difficult to score off me with two eyes open,” Bauer said to the media following the game. “Just having a little bit of fun.”

Bauer said that throwing with one eye open is nothing new for him. He does it often to challenge himself and help him get better. He said that he does it during his bullpen sessions, long toss and even during live at bats during the offseason as well.

For the spring, Bauer has thrown five scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

“I’ve been working on my mechanics,” he said when asked how this start felt compared to his last. “I felt much better. My velocity went up dramatically.”

In his first outing, his velocity sat in the low 90’s. Today, he was clocked at 98 mph. For reference, the highest Bauer was clocked at last season was 97.7 mph, and he only threw above 97 mph once. He said that his lower half wasn’t functioning during his first outing. Bauer had a better delivery and better mechanics today, which led to his increased velocity.

There’s no question that Bauer is an oddity, but manager Dave Roberts has been loving what he’s seen from him.

“There is a method to his madness, and he worked through it,” Roberts said. “Trevor’s great. I love the way he pushes boundaries. You don’t know what works or doesn’t work if you don’t try it. He’s been a treat.”