The New York Yankees are in an absolute crisis that is starting to worry more than a few fans, as they see the gap widening between them and the top of their division. Not only that, but at least two teams are now directly competing with them for a Wild Card spot. While they see no light at the end of the tunnel and are mired in a negative streak, some believe they should reinstate their no-beard policy.
And it all revolves around a pitcher who hasn’t delivered the best results and, notably, sports a beard-something that wasn’t allowed in the past.
Should they bring back the no-beard rule?
The bearded reliever for the Yankees, Devin Williams, has cost the team at least two games against the Texas Rangers, prompting some fans to argue that reversing 50 years of precedent to accommodate him wasn’t worth it.
When Williams joined the team from the Milwaukee Brewers in December, he shaved his beard for the first time in his MLB career, a change that unsettled him. This led him to discuss the issue with Yankees manager Aaron Boone and later with team President Hal Steinbrenner, ultimately resulting in a policy allowing well-groomed beards.
Williams was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2020 and a two-time All-Star. This season, he has a 5.44 ERA over 47 games with 17 saves; in his last seven outings, his ERA has ballooned to 9.45. Some fans point to the policy change as a key factor in the Yankees’ struggles this season, viewing the relaxed appearance policy as further evidence of the team’s declining discipline.
The Yankees‘ iconic appearance policy was implemented in 1976 by George Steinbrenner. Until then, it wasn’t deemed necessary, but with changing cultural norms and the rise of beards and long hair among men, MLB teams began adopting different stances. The Cincinnati Reds, for example, enforced a similar policy from 1969 but abandoned it in 1999.
While Devin Williams was a visible advocate for the recent change, his influence wasn’t the sole reason for the modification. The rule had been controversial since its inception and, for years, deterred talented players who preferred to keep their beards. It’s unlikely that shaving would transform Williams into the reliever the team urgently needs, but the discipline and standard represented by that policy might help a team that currently appears lost.
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