Yankees' shift in facial-hair policy a win for players, both present and future
Yankees pitcher Devin Williams throws on the field during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
TAMPA, Fla. — If Devin Williams, the Yankees' newly-acquired closer from the Brewers, wasn’t the agent of change for the club's archaic facial-hair policy, we’d certainly list him among the clubhouse catalysts.
And Hal Steinbrenner was wise to take his words to heart.
Nearly 24 hours after the Yankees lifted their half-century ban, I asked Williams if it was safe to assume that his own beloved beard would be back.
“Yeah,” a smiling Williams said Saturday morning. “As quickly as I can grow it.”
That snapshot alone was reason enough for the Yankees to do an about face on a franchise rule that had become obsolete years ago, if not decades. Williams, one of the game’s best closers and noted beard-wearer, wasn't thrilled with having to shave upon his Tampa arrival. For the Yankees, here in 2025, what’s the point of so-called tradition if it was going to make a valued employee unhappy coming to work?
Beyond that, Williams confirmed Hal’s fears that players might even steer clear of the Yankees in the future rather than conform to an edict handed down by his dad George in 1976. Williams didn’t get into the exact details of what he told Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman, but they apparently got the message, as the timing of Hal’s decision hardly seems coincidental.
“It’s definitely a conversation that comes up when you’re talking about coming here,” Williams said. “It’s something that everyone’s well aware of. And some guys aren’t OK with that.”
Of course, Williams didn’t have the choice, as small-market Milwaukee traded him to the Bronx heading into his walk year — right before his first shot at big money. Since the beard thing already was on his radar, it’s not a stretch to say Williams wasn’t enthusiastic to be putting on pinstripes.
“It was part of their rules, so it is what it is,” Williams said. “I obviously shaved my beard, so I was complying with the policy. But now I’m glad that it’s been changed.”
The impact of Steinbrenner’s reversal was evident by Williams’ mood Saturday. In the coming week, it will become more apparent on his face and chin. Fast forward to the end of the season, and the Yankees already have positioned themselves better for at least one premier free agent in Williams, who would have had to think long and hard about returning under the old policy.
“I mean, it’s something that I would consider,” Williams said. “For sure.”
Based on those comments, and the other input received, the Yankees were engaging in what amounted to self-sabotage for the sake of a few whiskers. The whole point of free agency is to convince elite talent to come to the Bronx, and Steinbrenner has realized the days of him simply outspending the competition — or wooing free agents with guarantees of a World Series ring — are long over.
Just this winter, Steinbrenner was willing to give Juan Soto a 16-year, $760 million contract — and still lost him to the Mets’ Steve Cohen over roughly $5 million more and a bunch of family perks. The Dodgers’ financial muscle is something the sport has never seen, along with their Ohtani-inspired recruiting edge for Japanese talent, and that’s put the Yankees in the uncomfortable spot of routinely being the runner-up.
Stripped of these long-standing advantages, the Yankees have been forced to re-evaluate their business practices. Overturning the beard ban is not going to suddenly tip the scales in their favor again. But it does remove an unforced error, and make the Bronx a more welcoming place, instead of a dusty relic handcuffed by tradition.
“I think the rule will be good,” Aaron Judge said Saturday morning. “I think it will help a lot of guys. If it gets us a couple more players that will help us win games, I think everybody will be on board with that.”
As the Yankees’ captain, he has no plans on wearing a beard himself.
“I got drafted by this organization, so the very first day I was here I’ve been shaving since 2013,” Judge said. “This is what I know, this is what I’m used to. I look around the building, look at old photos of the past legends and people that played here, they all followed that rule, so I just tried to follow on their path.”
Still, Judge acknowledged there’s been a growing movement among Yankees who have approached him about the subject. As captain, his thoughts weighed heavily in the conversations with Steinbrenner, who held discussions with a multitude of players — both past and present — before Friday’s announcement, one that “shocked” Judge.
It’s important to note, however, that Steinbrenner’s revamped policy draws the line at “well-groomed beards” and the other rules, like collar-length hair and limited jewelry, will remain in place.
Judge wasn’t so sure about players shunning the Yankees in the past over the beard issue.
“If that little rule is going to stop you from coming here, then you probably shouldn’t be here,” he said.
And Judge was insistent that the Yankees allow for modernization but not get too far afield of the franchise’s expectations.
“With rules, it’s all about discipline, especially with the Yankees,” Judge said. “This is a disciplined group. That’s one thing I learned from the minor leagues all the way up. I didn’t want a lot of these rules to start changing. A lot of these rules separate us and make the New York Yankees a standard.”
But the rest of the baseball industry has closed the gap. The Yankees have one World Series title in the past 24 years — fewer than the Red Sox (four), Giants (three), Astros (two), Dodgers (two) and same as the Marlins, Nationals and White Sox over that span. Steinbrenner’s $305 million payroll currently ranks fourth behind the Dodgers ($393M), Mets ($325M) and Phillies ($308M).
Will allowing beards directly lead to more victories? Steinbrenner and Judge seem to think so. But if you listen to Williams, it was just time — time for the Yankees to put the past behind them, at least the part still relying on razors to keep players in line.
“That’s my preferred look,” Williams said. “That’s how I feel most comfortable for myself... I haven’t really gotten the guidelines, but I think it won’t be too difficult to keep it nice and neat. We’ve got the barber here every day, so I’m sure it will be well-kept.”
For the Yankees, it’s the most meaningful spring-training win in franchise history.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.