A look back at the most memorable Yankees clean-shaven transformations
After nearly 50 years, the Yankees have amended their longstanding facial hair policy to allow "well-groomed beards."
The original policy, for Yankees players to be clean-shaven, was implemented by owner George Steinbrenner in the 1970s. The Boss' son, Hal Steinbrenner, announced the change on Friday.
The Bronx Bombers' old facial hair policy was one of baseball's most famous traditions, and over the last five decades resulted in many a player having to shave upon joining the team.
Here are some of the most famous Yankees haircuts through the years.
Johnny Damon
Damon's long locks and beard were his signature look with the Red Sox. But when he went to the Yankees in December 2005 in one of the most infamous rival-to-rival jumps in baseball history, Damon cut his hair and shaved the beard.
That prompted George Steinbrenner to say about Damon: "He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee."
Gerrit Cole
The Yankees' current ace and 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner had long hair and a beard when he was dominating with the Astros. But when Cole signed with the Yankees before the 2020 season, he sported a haircut and clean cheeks as he put on the pinstripes for the first time.
"I haven't shaved in like 10 years, but you know what? So be it," Cole said at the time. "That's the way it is. If you're a Yankee, you shave. That's what's up."
Jason Giambi
The Giambino had long hair and a goatee during his time as a feared slugger with the A's. But Giambi got a shave and a haircut when he signed with the Bronx Bombers before the 2002 season, then started off his Yankees career with back-to-back 40-homer campaigns.
Randy Johnson
Johnson's mullet with the Mariners and shoulder-length hair with the D-backs became things of the past once the Big Unit was traded to the Yankees in 2005. The Hall of Fame left-hander showed up to his Yankees press conference with short hair.
Reggie Jackson
Jackson helped form the "Mustache Gang" with the A's in 1972, but he also occasionally had a beard in Oakland before he came to the Yankees in 1977. Jackson's 'stache stayed in New York, but the beard went -- and that didn't stop him from becoming Mr. October.
Andrew McCutchen
Cutch had already gotten rid of the dreadlocks he sported earlier in his career with the Pirates by the time he arrived in New York in a 2018 trade with the Giants. He hadn't gotten rid of his beard, though ¡ but he did for the Yankees.
McCutchen posted on social media after the trade: "Just gonna take me a sec to get used to my freshly shaved face. Other than that ¡ let¡¯s go!"
Rougned Odor
Odor posted a ZZ Top style of beard with the Rangers. But when he came to the Yankees in a 2021 trade ¡ it was gone. Odor shaved the beard completely off before his first game in pinstripes, and he looked like a completely different person.
"My daughter didn't even want to look at me," Odor joked the morning after his Yankees debut.