PEORIA, Ariz. — The new look and feel of Major League Baseball's (MLB) uniforms has drawn ire from players and fans across the sport. As the Mariners get underway with spring training, players had mixed reactions in exclusive interviews with KING 5.
"Uh, I mean, I guess no comment on that," said Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh when asked how he felt about the 2024 uniforms.
Other players have been a lot more direct about their critiques.
“I know everyone hates them,” Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner said earlier this month as players arrived at spring training and got a first-hand look at the new threads. “We all liked what we had. We understand business, but I think everyone wanted to keep it the same way, for the most part, with some tweaks here or there.”
Nike has been designing MLB uniforms since 2020 and Fanatics has been manufacturing them since 2017, but this is the first year for the Nike Vapor Premier jerseys.
MLB officials said these uniforms improve mobility by providing 25% more stretch and will dry 28% faster. The lettering, sleeve emblems and numbering are less bulky in an attempt to make uniforms more breathable and comfortable.
Not every player is against the new material, as MLB released promotional materials as spring training began featuring testimonials from MLB stars like Nolan Arenado and Ronald Acuna Jr.
"They feel great," said Logan Gilbert, Mariners pitcher. "We put them on the other day for pictures they're light, thin. The lettering is a little different, that's what people are talking about right now."
The differences between the 2023 and 2024 versions of the Mariners' home white uniform can be seen below, with the new version featuring much smaller lettering for the names and a lowered MLB logo above the names.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he expects criticism to fade.
“In baseball, any new initiative, there’s going to be some negative feedback,” Manfred said Thursday. “First and most important, these are Nike jerseys. So we entered this partnership with Nike because of who they are and the kinds of products that they use. Everything they’ve done for us so far has been absolutely, 100% successful across the board.
“The jerseys are different. They’re designed to be performance wear as opposed to what has traditionally been worn. So they are going to be different, but they have been tested more extensively than any jersey in any sport.”
Mariners fans can get a first-hand look at the new uniforms at the Team Store inside T-Mobile Park. Last week KING 5 observed some of the 2023 jerseys still hanging and available for sale at that location.
Perhaps things will change as players get more accustomed to the look ahead of the regular season, but the review so far from the Mariners' roster is tepid at best.