For the first time since he signed with them in the offseason, the New York Yankees and their fans got their first look at Carlos Rodón in a Yankee uniform on Friday night. And, what a look it was.
As is well known by now, the Yankees have long had a strict facial hair policy. Mustaches, like the ones sported by Thurman Munson and Don Mattingly, are allowed. Beards, though, are not.
The lefty had a thick mustache for Friday’s start against the Chicago Cubs. And while no other facial hair was visible on the two-time All-Star, his chest hair was front and center.
rodon got his chest hair out he said i gotta look sexy in my debut pic.twitter.com/GzsW1pKNyL
— chris kreider respecter (@jonmoxIeys) July 7, 2023
Baseball fans took notice of Rodón’s look in his 2023 season debut.
Rodon holding it down for all the men with chest beards ✊🏼 https://t.co/BeDF9Fj55Y
— 🇻🇪⚾️Jorge⚾️🇻🇪 (@JeezyInTheHouse) July 7, 2023
https://twitter.com/prof_gabriele/status/1677458725924118529
Carlos Rodon looking straight sexy with the chest hair coming out. NYY fans, protect him at all costs. https://t.co/iZTzxZk72x
— Soy cabeza de idiota (@lee_chris04) July 7, 2023
YANKEES: No beards.
RODÓN: No beards on the face. Got it.
YANKEES: I mean, sure, if that's how you want to phrase it.
RODÓN: No beards on the face. https://t.co/3jzWWzhMA2
— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) July 7, 2023
How does Rodón’s look compare to the one that we recently saw from former Yankee, Luke Voit?
It's shame we didn't get Rodon and Voit on the team at the same time https://t.co/RThH5ZF1Zu
— tony (@tnrnldn) July 7, 2023
It’s tough to say.
Voit’s overall look was probably more glorious. But when we account for the parameters that Rodón had to work with, it’s a much closer competition.
While he was somewhat limited by injuries, Rodón was one of baseball’s best pitchers over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, pitching for the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants, respectively. Over those two seasons, he posted a 27-13 record with a 2.67 ERA, 0.998 WHIP and 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
If he can pitch that well for the Yankees, the chest beard may become a trend in the Bronx.
