Tyler Stephenson's dugout pose could be prelude to Reds' home run celebration

Some fans don't like it, but home celebrations are all the rage in Major League Baseball nowadays. Whether it's a taking hold of trident after a three-run blast (Seattle Mariners) or donning a purple vest while playing an inflatable guitar following an oppo taco (Minnesota Twins), major league teams love to celebrate their long ball success.

Two seasons ago, the Cincinnati Reds famously celebrated each and every homer by crowning themselves with a viking helmet and draping a fur-fringed cape around their neck. The player would then walk into the dugout and grab small practice bat taped with the stars and stripes of the United States of America before posing in front of the camera.

Reds fans absolutely loved the celebration, and it became synonymous with the 2023 version of the team. The viking helmet, however, was retired midway through the 2024 season and the Reds decided to have a more muted celebration just inside the entryway to the dugout. (Lame!)

Tyler Stephenson's dugout pose could be prelude to Reds' home run celebration

But Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson may have given the Cincinnati faithful a glimpse into the team's celebration plans for 2025. After going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and an RBI in Sunday's spring training game against the Chicago Cubs, Stephenson posed for picture in the Reds dugout wearing a luchadore mask and flexing for the camera.

Lucha libre wrestling is quite popular in Mexico, with WWE superstar Rey Mysterio arguably the most popular wrestler to wear such a mask. The masks themselves are oftentimes multi-colored and are rich with symbolism. The one Stephenson was wearing on Sunday was blue and red. If the Reds decide to use the luchadore mask as their home run celebration this season, perhaps a new color-scheme would be in order. Might I suggest red and black with a wishbone 'C'?

Who knows what Stephenson and the rest of his Reds teammates will be using to commemorate homers in 2025. As long as the home runs themselves are prevalent, it won't really matter how the Reds players celebrate. Last season, Cincinnati ranked 19th in MLB with 174 home runs. That number will hoefully go up with both Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand ready to return to the lineup this season.

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