Try to freeze only the scale transform. There's a bug in maya 2018 prior to 2018.4 that modify the direction of your transform on objects with non uniform scale.
I remade a concept from 2018 as a one day design challenge ! The Monster Caliban // The Tempest Character Design is over on my artstation ! https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YKddQ3
Figured I'd share this with the good folks of Polycount :) Feel free to join in! http://www.game-artist.net/forums/game-artist-mini-competition/17570-speed-modeling-competition-2-012-scarecrow.html