TAMPA — Aaron Judge is sticking to his clean-shaven look. When asked if he’d grow a beard after the Yankees lifted their facial hair ban, he simply said, “no.”
Judge has been shaving ever since he joined the Yankees in 2013. He feels a connection to the team’s history and the players who came before him. “I look at those old photos, and they all followed that rule,” he explained. “I just tried to follow their path.”
He expressed surprise at the policy change, which has been in place since 1976 under George Steinbrenner. Still, he understands Hal Steinbrenner’s reasoning: the rule may have kept some players from joining the team.
Judge remarked, “If that little rule is going to stop you from coming here, then you probably shouldn’t be here.” He hadn’t heard of any specific cases, but he emphasized the importance of discipline in the Yankees organization. He valued the existing rules that help shape the team’s identity.
In a one-on-one meeting with Hal Steinbrenner, Judge brought up the importance of keeping other regulations, like no hair below the collar. He believes these rules promote discipline, a core value for the team. “Those rules teach you a certain way,” he noted. “I wanted to make sure they don’t start changing too much.”
As the captain, Judge has heard mixed feelings from teammates about the old policy. Some, like Devin Williams and Carlos Rodon, plan to grow beards, while Judge, Anthony Volpe, and Marcus Stroman prefer to keep their clean-cut looks. Others in the clubhouse seemed uncertain, showing a bit more scruff than usual.
Ultimately, Judge aims to ensure that any policy changes serve the team’s success. He shared his thoughts with Steinbrenner, highlighting how keeping or changing these rules can impact their performance. “What’s going to help us win?” he asked. That, after all, is the ultimate goal for everyone in the Yankees organization.
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