Eduardo Rodriguez showed up to Friday's start against the New York Yankees without his beard.
And while he went in the opposite direction of the playoff beard tradition, it seemed to work. Rodriguez lasted 5 2/3 innings, fanning eight and walking two while giving up just two hits to lay the foundation for the Boston Red Sox to defeat the Yankees, 4-0.
But shaving his beard had nothing to do with trying to sway his chances on the hill. After the game, Rodriguez said he shaved at the request of his daughter, Annie.
"She's been on top of me all the time, I would say for the last two years," he said via Zoom. "Every time I hug her, she just goes 'Daddy, I don't want that. Shave it, please. Shave it please.' And I was at home during the All-Star break and she kept doing it. I went to my restroom and I see the razor there. It was (like) 'OK, I'll do it for her.'"
Rodriguez entered Friday with a career-high 5.52 ERA through 17 starts. And while the Red Sox have an impressive streak going against the Yankees -- 7-0 this season -- Rodriguez hadn't won in his last seven starts at Yankee Stadium.
With a dominant outing, he started his second half off on the right foot.
Maybe Annie has been on to something this whole time.
