According to FOX Sports‘ Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers will activate reliever Brian Wilson on Monday in an effort to bolster their bullpen as they surge toward the postseason. So after a season and a half spent in relative obscurity, Brian Wilson’s beard finally returns to the Major Leagues.

It’s no worse for the wear.

The Dodger-blue rubber band keeps the beard under control — in that it can be kept under control — and marks a new twist on baseball’s best-known facial hair. But it’s only the latest step in Wilson’s long, slow march from regular-looking Major League pitcher to guy that’ll obviously be competing in beard competitions soon.

When Wilson caught on as the Giants’ closer in 2008, he was still just some dude who shared his name with a Beach Boy, and not yet some dude who shared his name with a Beach Boy and also has a remarkable beard.

The beard was born sometime around the middle of the 2010 season. When Wilson greeted reporters at the All-Star Game that year, the beard was clearly in its infancy.

It wasn’t until the playoffs that season, after Wilson began dying his beard black, that Wilson’s beard became a full-blown thing.

The Giants won the World Series in 2010, and when it came time for their championship parade, Wilson’s beard was something to celebrate.

Wilson spent the offseason not shaving, and showed up to Spring Training in 2011 with his beard at unprecedented new lengths

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When it came time for the world champion Giants to meet President Barack Obama in the White House in July, Wilson’s beard looked like this:

Wilson got hurt early in the 2012 season. His elbow needed surgery, but his beard grew stronger:

Barring an unpredicted trimming, Wilson will take the mound for the Dodgers as perhaps the first pitcher in big-league history with a pony-tailed beard.