Jerseys are one of the biggest parts of sports. From the players wearing them, to the fans buying them, jerseys are one of the most popular things about being a player and a fan, and baseball is no different.

But, a recent change has fans and players angered. 

According to the USA Today article titled, “What all 30 MLB teams’ Fanatics-produced Nike jerseys looked like at the open of baseball’s regular season” written by Andrew Joseph, The MLB and their merchandising sponsor, Fanatics, changed the design to the game jerseys for players. Just by watching the games, I could see the changes include smaller lettering and numbering on the back, cheaper material, and pants that don’t entirely cover the lower half of player’s bodies.

The players haven’t been silent about this. According to an article by Yahoo Sports article titled, “Trea Turner on new MLB jerseys: ‘Everyone hates them,;” Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner said “everyone hates them,” when discussing the jerseys. 

No disrespect to T.J. Maxx, but when the reviews from the players taking the field for a multi-million dollar product such as the MLB feel this way, it reflects badly on a sport that already had a reputation that was dying prior to the 2023 season.

MLB Players Association President Tony Clark said he would take the player’s concerns to the MLB offices and Commissioner Rob Manfred after meeting with New York Yankee players according to an AP NEws article titled, “Players’ union head Tony Clark hopeful 2024 uniforms will soon be altered following complaints” written by Mark Didtler. However, with the season having already started, it seems that Major League Baseball will put their players on the field in uniforms that just aren’t as aesthetically pleasing to look at.

As a fan, I would like looking at jerseys with big logos, big lettering, and colors that match the team’s logo, not a shade of blue from a color picker app that a designer thought was closest to the actual color in the Dodgers logo and smaller letters that make it tough for fans to see which players are pitching or playing third base.

Now, while the lettering won’t affect Yankees players, who don’t have their names on the back of jerseys to start with, players on the other 29 MLB teams won’t have such a louder presentation of their name on the back.

Just making it to “The Show” is a major accomplishment for all players who wear it. It is an embarrassment for the MLB to send the best baseball players in the world out in jerseys that look like they were made at a local print shop for a little league team in my opinion.

The players have every right to be upset that not only will they be playing in poorly made jerseys, but in jerseys that don’t let them showcase their last name as loudly to say, “I made it.”