Gleyber Torres, who signed with the Detroit Tigers in the offseason after seven seasons with the Yankees, told reporters Friday that he was surprised by the decision but understood that a number of players still with the team would like to grow out their facial hair more than what was previously allowed.

Aaron Boone went from having to police stubble to having to determine what qualifies as a “well-groomed” beard.

Since the 1970s, the New York Yankees have had strict rules when it came to grooming, barring players and staff from growing beards or very long hair.

For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Yankees will allow their players and uniformed staff to grow beards — so long as they are “well-groomed” — as Hal Steinbrenner announced on Friday that the organization was relaxing its facial hair policy that had been instituted by his father, George, in 1976.

The All-Star closer, acquired in a trade with the Brewers over the offseason without any say in the matter, said that the Bombers’ past ban on facial hair below the upper lip would have been a factor in free agency. The Yankees amended the policy on Friday to permit “well-groomed beards,” an announcement that shocked the baseball world.