Major League Baseball and Nike introduced the City Connect series this season to revolutionize uniform design across sport in the most dramatic way since the league introduced the Turn Ahead the Clock alternates in the late 1990s.
Nike has been working with every MLB team to create a uniform that expresses the personality and communities of the team’s hometown. So far, we’ve seen five City Connect uniforms, for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins. There is still more to come, with alternate kits for the San Francisco Giants scheduled to be unveiled on July 9 and those for the Los Angeles Dodgers scheduled for late August. This is just a soft launch for City Connect – each team is expected to have their own iteration by the end of the 2023 season.
After assuming the role as a uniform supplier to the NFL and NBA, Nike pushed for radical changes in uniform design in those leagues, a movement that is now making its way into the world of baseball. While some MLB traditionalists have scoffed, many of the designs sold out quickly after they were unveiled.
With some of the designs more polarized than others, here’s our breakdown of the uniforms that have dropped thus far and how we rank them.
1. Chicago White Sox
Debut: June 5 vs. Detroit Tigers
Design inspiration: The Chicago uniform displays the word “Southside” in gray gothic letters, a nod to Chicago’s Greystone architectural style. The team’s dark gray striped pants also provide a unique design touch not often seen in baseball today. Appearance looks like the Turn Back the Clock uniforms the team wore in tribute to the Chicago American Giants. Nike and the White Sox also say the design was inspired by the team’s influence on hip-hop culture.
Fan welcome: Of the various City Connect uniforms, the White Sox received the strongest positive reaction from fans, and the jerseys sold out quickly the day they were available at the White Sox store.
Verdict: The White Sox became the first team in the series to experiment with pants that weren’t white and made a statement with the striped look. While the goth-style typeface can be divisive and stands out as the most distinctive element of this uniform set, this set’s ability to differentiate itself and stay true to the White Sox makes it stand out from the rest.
2. Miami Marlins
Debut: May 21 vs. New York Mets
Design inspiration: The Marlins left in a bright red striped uniform and a predominantly blue hat with a red top. The jerseys pay tribute to the Sugar Kings, a Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds that played in Cuba from 1946 to 1960. Both the uniform patch and the logo on the hat are reminiscent of the original Sugar Kings logo. The uniform is not an exact copy of the Sugar Kings jersey, which was white with red stripes.
Fan welcome: A largely positive response on social media was greeted by the Marlins uniforms, which deviated from the “Miami Vice” theme that Nike could have easily abandoned after positive reception for the Marlins. alternate uniforms of the Miami Heat in the NBA. Given the history of daring uniforms in the history of the Marlins franchise, the false throwback to the Sugar Kings matches the team’s jersey closet.
Verdict: While the connection to the Sugar Kings is not explicitly Miami, the city has a huge Cuban population, and the colors of the uniform fit in with the pastel aesthetic that colors the city.
3. Boston Red Sox
Debut: April 17 vs. White sox
Design inspiration: The Red Sox chose the most radical design among the uniforms released thus far, revealing the first uniform in team history. that has yellow and blue as primary colors. On the front of the yellow jersey, there is a blue print typography in addition to a blue cap. While the team used blue as the primary color until 1907, the team has worn primarily red since 1908. The Boston Marathon and Patriots Day hold a special place in Boston culture, and the team decided to pay tribute to the unique city holidays through their uniforms, highlighted by the 617 marathon insignia patch on the left sleeve.
Fan welcome: While many traditionalist fans didn’t like the ditching of the team’s classic red and white uniforms, others embraced the design. Although the uniforms received a mixed reception, the Red Sox sold out the new jerseys and City Connect merchandise that launched alongside them at the Fenway Park team store.
Verdict: We give high marks for the team’s boldness and desire to do something outside the norm. The City Connect series isn’t meant to appeal to everyone, and by walking away with something surprising and out of the norm while receiving relatively positive reception, the Red Sox are pushing the idea of what a baseball uniform can look like.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
Debut: June 18 vs. Dodgers
Design inspiration: The Diamondbacks unveiled a gold uniform referring to the Sonoran desert and the state’s Hispanic culture, with the name “Serpents” on the front. Without straying too far from the existing team colors, Arizona decided to change its primary and secondary colors, making the team’s distinctive Sedona red color stand out through the numbers. The uniform patch on the left sleeve features the Arizona state flag and a reference to Phoenix’s nickname as the Valley of the Sun.
Fan welcome: The Diamondbacks received a largely positive, but less passionate reaction, with many on social media feeling that the team’s uniform set didn’t do much to differentiate itself from the rest of the series. Some fans enjoyed the more reserved approach of the alternatives, while others got bored with the relatively safe design options.
Verdict: The decision to use gold as the primary solid color is what makes the Arizona raid stand out. While the Diamondbacks certainly weren’t as bold as the Red Sox or Marlins in changing their appearance, the decision to use a color not normally seen on a baseball field as a primary makes it more adventurous than the safe design put forward by the Puppies
5. Chicago Cubs
Debut: June 12 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Design inspiration: Cubs uniforms feature a largely navy blue design with light blue accents intended to evoke the Chicago flag, with the word “Wrigleyville” on the front in a typeface similar to the stadium marquee and each of the city’s 77 neighborhoods recognized by names on dugout sleeves and bullpen jackets. The left sleeve of the jersey features a Chicago Municipal Device logo patch and a Y-circle, symbolizing the North, South, and Major Branches of the Chicago River.
Fan welcome: The uniforms were leaked before their formal introduction and received a very negative reception from fans, many of whom felt they were boring compared to the rest of the City Connect series, although some appreciated the more subdued approach.
Verdict: The Cubs took by far the safest approach to the series thus far, which made the new backups seem relatively tame and a bit bored. Wearing blue pants deviated from the norm, which is positive, but overall, the Cubs were overshadowed by their rivals on the south side.
Those who come on the way
San Francisco Giants
When will we see them: They are scheduled to be presented on July 9
Los Angeles Dodgers
When will we see them: sometime in August
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