Yankees’ Aaron Boone Places New (Weird) Rule On Ex-Red Sox Alex Verdugo

Not only did Alex Verdugo need to ditch his beard upon joining the New York Yankees in an offseason trade.

The former Boston Red Sox outfielder also is required to scale back on the jewelry he wears in his first season in the Bronx.

According to Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Verdugo he can only wear one chain per game.

That’s a contrast from Verdugo’s time with the Red Sox, when the 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers draft pick could be spotted rocking multiple chains while patrolling Boston’s outfield.

“It’s kind of been hard, man,” Verdugo told Rieken. “Because usually I’m used to wearing like three of four.”

Wearing three or four chains during a game is pretty wild. But so is placing a one-chain limit on someone. And forcing a player to cut his hair or shave his beard — as part of some antiquated rule — is just plain dumb.

Nevertheless, those are the parameters in place for Verdugo as he navigates his first season in pinstripes. The question is whether it’ll be Verdugo’s only season with the Yankees, as he’s slated to become a free agent after 2024.

The Red Sox traded Verdugo to the Yankees — a rare Boston-New York swap — back in December for pitchers Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice. It was the second trade involving Verdugo, as he was the centerpiece of the Mookie Betts blockbuster between the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2020.