Yankees: New Yankee Tony Zych Looks Completely Different Without Monster Beard

Yankees reliever Tony Zych really looks like a Yankee now.

As MLB players and the New York Yankees get ready to report to camp on July 1, we can officially expect an entirely new spate of “Best Shape of His Life” stories. Heck yeah!

But, luckily, we’ve also got a Yankees corollary to these puppies: the offseason makeover for new additions.

Tony Zych, until recently, was a Seattle Mariners reliever who rocked a long, flowing beard coming out of the bullpen as a righty. Now? He’s the owner of the funniest re-do of the bunch, replacing his well-manicured beard with a shifty mustache and wide-eyed deer-in-the-headlights look.

Zych somehow hasn’t pitched in affiliated ball since 2017, and has a major opportunity on his hands as a member of New York’s 60-man player pool. No time like the present to make a major life adjustment and look the part, right?

Regardless of whether he makes the team or not, I absolutely love that these two photos represent technically the same person.

Zych was first signed back in February (which was technically this season!) and was immediately assigned Joba Chamberlain’s No. 62, which was a pretty good indication he was going to be a fun time.

Now that his flowing face-locks are gone, it’s truly the righty’s gig to lose this season, whether he’s with the big club at Yankee Stadium, or the shuttle organization down in Moosic, PA with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre camp.

We can only hope Zych’s rebirh in portrait mode will result in a rebirth on the mound — he’s struck out 80 in 72.2 career innings, featuring a 2.72 ERA, but missed much of the 2016 and 2017 seasons with various maladies. He and his pup are ready for a comeback, though, and Zych is heading to the Bronx a new man.

We look forward to seeing how this all turns out. We’re certainly rooting for the new mustache — I mean, guy.

Any bullpen arm is a good bullpen arm, especially with this type of fighting (and shearing) spirit.