Acce s the Yankees beat like never before Dont mi s Greg Joyces text me sages from The Bronx and beyond hes giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Yankees. Justin Turner has an alternative theory on why the Yankees did an abrupt about-face on the franchises long-standing hair policy. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner announced Friday that players and all uniformed personnel will for the first time in nearly 50 years, amending a policy from his father George Steinbrenner that had only permitted mustaches. Cubs infielder Justin Turner, well known for his long red beard and most of the time hair thats grown to his neck, was asked about the decision He felt it was about time and hilariously attributed the decision to his former Red Sox and Dodgers teammate Alex Verdugo, who spent last season with the Yankees. Alex Verdugo had to shave his beard with the Yankees last season. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST I wonder what made them change their mind, Turner said. Did someone look so bad without a beard that theyre like, We got to change this? Was it Alex Verdugo? He looked terrible. Verdugo has to save his usual beard and limit the number of chains he wears during games after being traded to the Yankees before last season. Explore More Its kind of been hard, man, Heliot Ramos Jersey because usually Im used to wearing like three of four, Verdugo said of the chains last April. The left fielder struggled during his only season in The Bronx, hitting .233 with 13 home runs 61 RBIs and a career-low .647 OPS while still providing strong defense. Justin Turner (r.) weighed in on the Yankees hair policy change. Getty Images Verdugo, who is still a free agent, hit just .208 during the Yankees run to the World Series but did deliver eight RBIs. I dont know how that rule makes anybody a better baseball player, Turner said. Yeah were profe sionals, but its 2025, you should be able to expre s yourself a little bit. Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees amended their long-standing hair policy. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Steinbrenner said the change ultimately goes back to putting the best product on the field. Winning was the most important thing to my father, Steinbrenner said at a pre s conference Friday morning. If somebody came and told him that they were very sure this could affect us getting the players we want to get If something like this would detract from that or le sen our chances, I dont know, I think he might be a little more apt to do the change that I did than people think, because it was about winning. David Villar Jersey