NEW YORK — Major League Baseball uniforms will have larger lettering on the back of jerseys and individual pant customization will be available to all players beginning in 2025, MLB and Nike announced Friday.
MLB and Nike said the uniform adjustments will be made following conversations with players, clubs and equipment managers.
Some players in spring training complained about the fit and look. The white pants worn by some teams are see-through enough to clearly show tucked-in jersey tops.
“Player and Club feedback is extremely important to us,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. ”Together with Nike, we listened to our players and as a result, we are addressing their concerns.”
Nike also is working on a solution to address the slight color differences between the jerseys and pants of some gray road uniforms, as well as the discoloration that can occur because of sweat. Once the solution is finalized, adjusted gray uniforms will be worn as soon as the second half of this season.
“We will continue to work with Nike to make adjustments with the goal of delivering a uniform that looks good and helps MLB players perform at their best,” Manfred said.
The uniform changes initially were detailed in a memo distributed to players by the MLB Players Association on Sunday. That memo blamed Nike and its new performance-focused Vapor Premier uniform.
“This has been entirely a Nike issue,” the memo to players read. “At its core, what has happened here is that Nike was innovating something that didn’t need to be innovated.”
Uniforms are made by Fanatics, with specifications set by MLB and Nike.