The New York Yankees’ facial hair coverage by no means mattered to Alex Rodriguez.
“I’ve by no means had a beard,” the previous Yankee instructed NBC Native forward of 2025 MLB Opening Day whereas selling Lysol Laundry Sanitizer. “I’ve tried to grow a beard for 30 years, and I still can’t.”
However these in pinstripes who can develop one are actually permitted to, with the Yankees having lifted their long-standing ban on beards that restricted gamers from having any facial hair apart from a mustache.
“I was surprised,” Rodriguez stated. “It was wild pivot for the organization, a rule that had been on there since 1973 when George Steinbrenner acquired the team,” he stated. “Give them credit, they’re fluid, they’re willing to change, they’re not just married to whatever the past was.”
However what would “The Boss” – Steinbrenner, who died in 2010 – have stated concerning the workforce’s change in coverage?
“Well, it maybe wouldn’t have happened,” Rodriguez stated. “I’m not sure what he would have said, but ‘The Boss’ was very kind of rigid and strict. But give Hal [Steinbrenner] a lot of credit to be able to open things up and think in a more progressive, contemporary way.”
The Yankees, sadly, misplaced extra than simply razors and shaving cream within the offseason. Juan Soto, after one season with the workforce, signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the crosstown rival New York Mets. Gerrit Cole was misplaced for the season after it was decided he required Tommy John surgical procedure. Giancarlo Stanton and reigning American League Rookie of the 12 months Luis Gil are also anticipated to overlook important time as a consequence of harm.
“The Yankees, they’ve ran into some tough luck here,” Rodriguez stated. “They’ve had a bit of a mixed offseason, obviously ups and downs, with losing out on Juan Soto, but then they quickly pivot and deploy their resources really, really smartly.”
The Yankees signed beginning pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract and traded for former MVP Cody Bellinger.
“For them it’s just play par golf, just move on to live another day,” Rodriguez stated. “Look to get healthy and hot at the right time in the summer, kind of leading into the fall, just play really, really strong fundamental baseball. I think one of the things Brian Cashman did a really good job of is addressing some of their liabilities, which kind of all came together in that fifth inning of Game 5 — which is a bit of a lack of fundamentals, lack of focus on those details. I think they’re really much better off going into this year, and then when the time is right, I’m sure they have the resources to go out and plug and play whatever they need at the deadline.”
They’ll must fill the void left by Soto, who signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets. Rodriguez additionally modified groups as a marquee free agent on the peak of his profession when he left the Seattle Mariners for the Texas Rangers in 2001 on the age of 25.
“What advice would I give him? I think slow and steady wins the race,” Rodriguez stated. “Don’t try to get all [15] years done in one at bat or one month. But I think he’s really well positioned. I think he has perfect training. He’s been around a little bit, he’s already been a world champion, he’s already been to another World Series, he played in New York, he understands the media market, which is one of the biggest and toughest challenges of New York, he’s already done that very, very well. So, take your time, be patient and play the long game.”
What does he assume Soto noticed within the Mets that satisfied him to vary New York boroughs?
“I think Alex and Steve Cohen are very compelling owners,” Rodriguez stated. “They have a really big vision, they have tremendous resources, they’re avid, avid enormous Mets fans. They’ve been partners with the Mets now for over a decade. Usually when Steve Cohen wants something, he gets it. And I’m sure he made a really strong compelling argument of why Juan Soto’s career was better with the Mets than the Yankees.”
Soto returns to Yankee Stadium for his first sport as a member of the Mets on Might 16.
“He’s gonna get a Bronx reaction,” Rodriguez stated with a smile.
Two followers who interfered with play through the 2024 World Sequence had been formally banned from MLB services and occasions.
However A-Rod didn’t choose both New York workforce to succeed in the World Sequence — predicting it will likely be between the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles, who haven’t reached the Fall Basic since 1983.
“The one thing I will not sleep on is the Baltimore Orioles,” Rodriguez stated. “The Baltimore Orioles I think can win 100 games. In many ways, everyone is talking about the Yankees and the Red Sox, but I think the Orioles have a chance to be the head of the class in the American League.”
Former MLB star Alex Rodriguez hit a half-court shot to win $10,000 for a Bucknell scholar at their sport vs. Military on Sunday.
