The New York Yankees have a long tradition of forcing players to shave their facial hair to don the pinstripes. Some may call it an outdated measure the team must abandon, but others claim it is rooted in tradition and represents a long and storied history.
One former player, Cameron Maybin, took to social media to voice his displeasure about the rule, indicating that players believe it is unnecessary.
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The Yankees Care About Tradition
“This might be an unpopular take to Yankees fans, but you’d be surprised how much more attractive the Yankees would be if they got rid of that facial hair rule,” Maybin wrote in a post on X. “You wouldn’t believe how many quality players just think it’s a wack rule to have. I mean cmon we’re coming up on 2024 let that go already, and I swear it would be more appealing. Again this only comes from conversations I’ve had and experience from actually Playing.”
Now 36 years old, Maybin last played in 2021 with the New York Mets, making just nine appearances. He spent the entire 2019 season with the Yankees, playing 82 games, hitting .285/.364/.494. Historically, Maybin was a decent player, recording 93 wRC+ and featuring some great seasons and others below average. In fact, some would say his 2019 season with the Bombers was his best, with his 2016 season of the Detroit Tigers presenting a close second.
Nonetheless, it is safe to say the players likely don’t care about shaving their facial hair if it means the Yankees investing millions in their services. You aren’t going to see Aaron Judge make a ruckus after landing a year, $360 million deal. Just being a part of such an elite franchise is enough to warrant a few harmless rules — when Maybin is the one splashing the cash, he can determine the requirements.