The New York Yankees changing their nearly 50-year-old facial hair policy beginning this season to allow "well-groomed" beards, according to owner Hal Steinbrenner, caught many in the baseball world off guard.

Current owner Hal Steinbrenner announced the change Friday before the team’s spring training opener. New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole takes part in pickoff drills during a spring training baseball workout Thursday,

Austin Wells, Gerrit Cole, Gleyber Torres and more all weighed in on the surprising change to a longstanding Yankee tradition.

This is a 2025 photo of Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees baseball team Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. This image reflects the Yankees active roster as

Count Yankees ace Gerrit Cole among those extremely excited to see how Fried fares in pinstripes. “Just an excellent addition,” Cole told reporters Saturday. Cole called Fried a “unique talent” who should be an excellent fit in New York.

And, as he did on Friday during his bullpen session, Cole had one of his childhood heroes watching from behind the mound, Roger Clemens, who is in camp as a guest instructor. “It was awesome,” Cole said Sunday. “It’s really great. Álex [Rodríguez] was in the house the other day, too. It’s good vibes.

An award-winning player for the New York Yankees has been shut down due to an injury suffered this week in spring.

Cole is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League start Friday versus the Blue Jays, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports. The 34-year-old ace is in a much better spot on the health front this spring compared to last,

The New York Yankees are gearing up for the 2025 season with the players reporting to Spring Training camp at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.

Right-hander Luis Gil, the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year, will undergo an MRI exam on Saturday after cutting his Friday bullpen session short due to feeling tightness near his right shoulder. Yankees manager Aaron Boone informed reporters of the pending MRI.

The reigning Rookie of the Year cut his bullpen session short Friday morning and will undergo an MRI over the weekend to determine the extent of the injury.