You had to do a double-take when Sergio Romo was on the mound for the Athletics on Tuesday. I certainly did.
The veteran reliever showed off a freshly shaved face, and we’re still not used to it.
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For comparison, this is how he typically sports his facial hair:
He could have shaved it to change it up a bit, but for as long as we can remember, he’s always had some type of beard.
Pitchers are a different breed, and this could be a sense of reset for Romo.
Oakland Athletics
Former A’s pitcher-turned NBC Sports California analyst Dallas Braden once said you do anything to change up your routine if you’re having a rough season. Romo currently is sporting a 7.71 ERA after striking out one in the eighth inning.
"You do anything from sleeping in a different direction on your bed, to sleeping in a different location in the house altogether, maybe you're sleeping outside," Braden told NBC Sports California in 2019. "You change things you eat, your route to the ballpark -- I mean, the list is really endless, but for me, I think the furthest I've gotten is burning a uniform."
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It’s a fresh look for Romo, and it’ll take some getting used to, but whatever works.