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MLB changed the jersey template in 2024. Fans hate it. Here’s what the Phillies’ jerseys will look like.

Fans and players have called out the new Nike jerseys. So far, the Phillies’ don’t appear to be too different.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto touches pitcher Zack Wheeler’s new jersey at the BayCare Ballpark on the first day of spring training in Clearwater, Fla.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto touches pitcher Zack Wheeler’s new jersey at the BayCare Ballpark on the first day of spring training in Clearwater, Fla.Read moreHeather Khalifa / Staff Photographer
    by Gabriela Carroll
    Updated 
    Published 

On Tuesday, as pitchers and catchers started to report for spring training, fans got a look at the new MLB jerseys for the 2024 season. Reactions were … not positive.

And that includes the response from some players.

A St. Louis Cardinals player criticized the jerseys for looking “cheap,” according to BND.com, and that they didn’t fit right. The jerseys also changed the appearance of the name on the back, shortening and curving the names.

“I don’t like them,” pitcher Miles Mikolas told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Everyone should write about it.”

Ask and you shall receive, Miles. The new Nike Vapor Premier jerseys are said to be lighter and more breathable to allow for better motion, per the MLB news release announcing the change.

“These new uniforms fit better and feel lighter,” said a quote from Ronald Acuña Jr. in the release. “I play fast and want to wear something that won’t pull when I’m running. Feeling free in the jersey is the best feeling in the world.”

Let’s hope he’s right, but early returns from the Cardinals aren’t a strong sign.

Many fans immediately jumped to blame Fanatics, who is contracted by Nike to produce the jerseys. Fanatics has had a lot of issues, specifically with quality control on fan purchases. Notably, they recently botched the release of the Eagles’ kelly green apparel so badly — from shipping delays to crooked merchandise — it forced CEO Michael Rubin to apologize.

But the design changes were ultimately made by Nike, which is still in control of the designs and uses its logo. Per the 10-year MLB agreement made in 2019, uniforms are “developed by Nike’s team of innovative designers” and “manufactured and distributed by Fanatics.” Next season, Fanatics will also become the official outfitter of the NHL as well.

Problems didn’t just emerge with the new player versions of the jerseys. A Mariners fan went viral with this thread breaking down changes in the 2024 jerseys sold in team stores. The most notable visual changes in his photos were the text on the name, the placement of the MLB logo, and the number.

So, we went to the Phillies’ team store on Tuesday to get a look at the new their uniforms for 2024 and to give you a breakdown on any changes.

The only new Phillies Nike Vapor Limited jerseys available as of Tuesday were the red pinstripe home jerseys, so if you’re looking for a 2023 version of a baby blue or cream jersey, you can still get one.

Here’s what it looks like:

Good news: It’s not that different. Unlike with the Mariners and Cardinals jerseys, the Phillies’ unique font for the nameplate on the back of the jersey is still in tact — it’s just smaller, which makes the changes overall less noticeable on the Phillies’ jerseys than the others. The names on the back are also more curved.

On the 2023 jersey, the MLB logo was on the collar by the neckline, and it’s dropped below the collar on the 2024 edition. The logo is also thinner on the 2024 edition, and attached more like the numbers and letters, rather than the previous patch-like version.

As for how these changes will look on the road and alternate uniforms, we’ll have to wait and see.

Do you think the new jerseys are an upgrade or a downgrade? Take a look at the side-by-side, and leave your thoughts in the comments.