Justin Turner has an alternative theory of why the Yankees suddenly looked up about the franchise’s long-standing hair policy.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said on Friday that players and all uniformed staff members were allowed to have well-maintained beards for the first time in nearly 50 years, and that he was told by his father George Steinbrenner. It has been announced that it has been permitted to amend the policy.
Cubs infielder Justin Turner, well known for his long red beard and hair most of the time that grew into his neck, was asked about the decision of Bob Knightingale of USA Today.
He felt it was “about time,” and hilariously gave the decision back to former Red Sox and Dodgers teammate Alex Verdugo, who spent last season with the Yankees.
“Why did they change their minds?” Turner said. “Someone looked so bad without a beard, so ‘Did you have to change this?’ Was it Alex Verdugo? He looked terrible. ”
Verdugo should save his regular whiskers and limit the number of chains he wears during the game after being traded with the Yankees before last season.
“It was kind of hard, man, I’m usually used to wearing it like three out of four,” Verdugo said of the chain last April.
The left fielder struggled during his only season in the Bronx, hitting .233 with 13 home runs 61 RBI and a career-low .647 OPS, providing a strong defense.
Still a free agent, Verdugo hit just .208 when he ran for the Yankees World Series, but offered eight RBIs.
“I don’t know how those rules make someone a better baseball player,” Turner said. “Yeah, we’re experts, but it’s 2025. We should be able to express ourselves a little bit.”
Steinbrenner said the change will ultimately return to putting the best products in the field.
“Winning was the most important thing for my father,” Steinbrenner said at a press conference Friday morning. “If someone comes and says they’re confident that this could affect us getting the players we want to get… would something like this harm our chances, or If I reduce that, I don’t know, I think he might be a little, so I tend to make the changes I did than people think because it was to win.”
