NEW YORK.- Alex Verdugo complied with the rule of New York Yankees about his facial hair and shaved off his red beard two months before preseason training.
“my mom loves ithe says I look like I’m back in high school,” the Mexican, who showed off his impeccably shaved cheeks during a Zoom press conference, said Thursday.
New York acquired the 27-year-old outfielder from the Boston Red Sox on December 5 in exchange for the rights Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts y Nicholas Judge.
The owner of the Yankees, George Steinbrenner, In 1976, it issued a code that prohibits facial hair, except for the mustache, as well as long locks below the neck and long sideburns.
“This is important for Yankees, you have to be clean shaven. I haven’t been since high school. I didn’t even know what I looked like without a beard.. I wanted to see how my skin would react to constantly shaving and keeping it clean. It feels like a new beginning. “I feel like a kid again,” Verdugo said.
The player hit .264 with 13 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .745 OPS last season, his fourth with the Red Sox. Finalist for Gold Glovehad 12 assists from the outfield and 9 runs saved on defense.
The manager of the Yankees, Aaaron Boonethinks the left-handed hitter could benefit from the shortness of the Yankee Stadium. “I don’t think it’s reached its potential. I think there’s more there.”
Initial discomfort about going to the Yankees:
Verdugo accepted that he had been furious when he found out about the exchange.
“It was hot. I said, man, Did they really send me to the rivals, to the Yankees?”.
His visits to the Bronx as a rival were not easy. In July 2021 he was hit in the back by a ball thrown from the left field stands of the Yankee Stadium.
“It’s part of that rivalry“, said.
“The mentality in New York, the way people talk, It’s a little more aggressive and gets straight to the point.. I like that. I enjoy it. And I think when they see me play every day and see me work hard, I think they’ll like it.”
Source: AP
