The New York Yankees, who have long been known for not allowing their players to keep beards on their face, have made a shocking rule change.
Yankees to allow stars to play with beards now
The MLB reported on Friday morning that the big leagues’ most storied franchise will allow their stars to grow beards, with a certain caveat:
“Ultimately the final decision rests with me, and after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward,” said Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner in an official statement. “It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy.”
Yankees getting with times after trademark look mandate
The Yankees’ rule has been as synonymous with their franchise as their popular pinstripes and winning ways. The no-beard mandate saw legends such as Jason Giambi and Reggie Jackson before him don mustaches, as well as Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge maintain smooth faces.
After New York’s marquee offseason acquisition Devin Williams shaved his full beard, but was seen on official team photographs with a stubbled look, many questioned whether he was bending the rules, or if the Yankees had done so themselves, quiet as kept. Now, no further controversy will spring from that:
Devin Williams can grow his beard back now! 😂 pic.twitter.com/TdzicCLIdV
— MLB (@MLB) February 21, 2025
Yahoo Sports’ Sean Leahy revealed this about how long the Yankees have had their popular rules in place for:
“The rule had been in place since the 1970s when George Steinbrenner and former manager Billy Martin instituted the ‘Neatness Counts‘ policy, which forbid beards, longhair and sideburns. Mustaches were allowed,” Leahy wrote.
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Now, players will have the liberty to wear their beards. It remains to be seen what limit the team will put on the length of such facial hair, but so long as it’s neat, New York figures to roll into 2025 with a bunch of very different-looking stars. This amendment might also help them attract more bearded stars to the organization in the future.