As Major League Baseball preps to hold the first games of Spring Training this weekend, players are voicing their frustration with the league's new jerseys.
MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said the association is working on behalf of the players to resolve the jersey issue ahead of Opening Day on March 28. Players say the new Nike Vapor Premier uniforms, which are manufactured by Fanatics, feel cheap, have smaller numbers and letters and aren't as customizable as past uniforms.
"We are on the phone with the requisite parties that are involved in making that decision because we aren't," Clark told reporters on Tuesday, according to The Athletic. "Hopefully, we can get some things done over the course of the next six weeks of spring training. Because I'd hate to be in a place where we're still having conversations about some of the challenges we have in that regard once the lights come on."
Clark said the frustration is par for the course, as any change is followed by an adjustment period. Clark said conversations to correct the jerseys are ongoing, but noted that the MLBPA is "trying to make sure our guys have what they need in the fashion that they need it."
On Thursday, commissioner Rob Manfred defended the new jerseys, saying "there’s going to be some negative feedback" with any new initiative, but predicted that "they're going to be really popular."
The St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado praised the new uniforms, saying they're "soft, light and comfortable."
Other players have not been as kind. Philadelphia Phillies veteran reliever Jeff Hoffman compared them to “a T-shirt or a gym shirt.”
“It looks like a replica,” Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward said, per The Athletic. “It feels kind of like papery. It could be great when you’re out there sweating, it may be breathable. But I haven’t had that opportunity yet to try that out. But from the looks of it, it doesn’t look like a $450 jersey."
It’s insane how cheap the MLB pants are now. Fanatics what are we doing, we can see his jersey tucked in through his pants 😂 pic.twitter.com/GwwGfYbZY5
— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) February 21, 2024
lmao Fanatics' new jerseys are so trash that their customer service team is responding "oops, that looks wrong, please contact us so we can replace your screwed-up jersey order" not realizing they're replying to... a photo of an actual MLB player's actual MLB uniform pic.twitter.com/LXQSRLXdHK
— ℳatt (@matttomic) February 21, 2024
