Sports
What we know — and don't — about MLB's ongoing issues with Nike uniforms
In the sweltering summer of 1994, back when Russell Athletics was Major League Baseball’s official uniform supplier, the New York Yankees suddenly switched jersey fabrics, from polyester to a more breathable cotton, to beat the heat. Yankees players raved about the cotton uniforms in a front-page story.
Luis Polonia: “Cotton is king.”
Wade Boggs: “What a fabric! Finally we can breathe.”
Paul O’Neill: “I never dreamed anything could be so soft and fluffy.”
Thirty years later, Nike, MLB’s current uniform supplier, introduced a new jersey — 90 percent recycled polyester — that got equally glowing reviews.
Adley Rutschman: “Much more breathable.”
Nolan Arenado: “It’s almost like wearing my favorite shirt out on the field.”
Ronald Acuña Jr.: “Feeling free in the jersey is the best feeling in the world.”
The difference?
The Nike jersey is real. The cotton one is from an episode of “Seinfeld.”
It’s easy to imagine this suggestion from Yankees assistant to the traveling secretary George Costanza to manager Buck Showalter now on a Nike pitch deck: “Imagine playing games and your team is five degrees cooler than the other team. Don’t you think that would be an advantage? They’re cooler. They’re more comfortable. They’re happier — they’re going to play better.”
It’s been 10 days since we started reporting about the many missteps in the Nike Vapor Premier rollout, and the groans have only grown louder. Here’s what we know — and don’t — about MLB’s ongoing jersey issues.
What are players upset about?
Depends on the day. MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said new issues keep arising as he moves from camp to camp during spring training. The first complaints were about the design and feel of the jerseys. Concerns have since coalesced around the pants. Players have complained that instead of receiving fully tailored pants as in the past they now are measured, put into one of four body-type buckets and given pants that should fit someone shaped like them. Many are not satisfied.
Then came the pants shortage and the, uh, see-through thing.
The see-through what?
The pants. They’re sorta see-through.
How sorta?
Enough to see tags and logos underneath the white pants. Enough to make the long tails of the tucked-in jersey top look like a diaper. Enough that spouses are making jokes about it. No one asked for this kind of transparency in baseball.
Scott Barlow welcome to Cleveland pic.twitter.com/fmGVQBJESR
— Andre Knott (@DreKnott) February 22, 2024
The question is: Are these pants more see-through than pants from past years?
A source familiar with the process said the pant fabric has not changed; another said the material and thickness are the same. That sentiment has been shared in several tweets and stories. However, a Nike spokesperson did not respond to The Athletic’s requests for clarity on whether this exact pant design — belt loops aside — was used last year, and, if so, what year this pant was first introduced.
Without a clear answer, skepticism seems warranted.
Uni Watch’s Paul Lukas, who has written extensively about the new Nike jerseys on his site and Substack, said he saw a “somewhat similar phenomenon” in photos from previous years’ photo days. “To me,” he said, “it was not as severe.”
Wouldn’t we have noticed if the pants had been this translucent in the past?
That seems to be the general consensus on Baseball Twitter. On one hand, everything about these uniforms is being more closely scrutinized than any jersey in recent memory. On the other, this see-through effect is not just occurring in the studio lighting of photo day. We’re seeing players’ undergarments in poorly-lit lobbies and on outdoor ballfields as well.
I didn’t notice it during my team’s game this weekend, though.
You might not!
One reason for that: your team might be wearing last year’s pants.
That’s right, teams are short on pants. Typically, according to a handful of players surveyed, they’ll have about five pairs of tailored game pants in their locker a couple of weeks before Opening Day. Currently, some teams have none, and some one. It’s not clear which company is at fault for the shortage — Nike, which engineered and designed the uniforms; or Fanatics, which manufactures them.
in case anyone was wondering, it looks like the Padres are wearing the OLD (not transparent) white pants, while Dodgers are wearing the NEW grey pants.
(you can tell by the belt loops.) https://t.co/6TKuGicD43 pic.twitter.com/z12pBWiUlY
— ric sanchez (@ricsanchez) February 22, 2024
What have MLB, Nike and Fanatics said about all this?
Very little.
Nike and MLB issued statements Friday, though neither has answered specific questions regarding the new jerseys.
A Fanatics spokesperson has declined multiple requests for comment.
Whose fault is this?
In the simplest explanation — following the responsibilities as laid out by MLB, Fanatics and Nike before Nike became MLB’s official uniform supplier in December 2019 — blame would primarily fall on Nike. That’s how Lukas sees it. That’s also how Clark, the union chief, sees it. Nike had four years to land its transition from the Majestic Athletics template to a Nike one. It so far has flopped.
Fanatics, however, has taken most of the heat from fans for the new jerseys. That’s because of Fanatics’ history of selling sub-par (or worse) products to consumers as it dominates the licensed sports apparel market. It is an earned reputation. In the case of these Nike jerseys, Fanatics produces the final product, so any imperfections or inconsistencies in the stitching, lettering and patchwork could be attributed to them. But the material and design changes are Nike choices.
What are some of the design choices?
The white uniforms are a slightly off-white shade. The pants have different belt loops. Certain embroidered elements are now printed. The fabric looks, as Lukas writes, like a paper towel. On the front of the jersey top, a narrower placket has led to some awkward split-letter chest scripts. The back of the jersey has changed dramatically. First, Nike lowered the MLB logo. The lettering is significantly smaller. And the uniform number, also smaller in most cases, was perforated for optimal airflow.
“Something about the smaller lettering just doesn’t look major league,” Lukas said, “and there’s been no explanation for why. That’s what I’ve found so surprising and confounding.”
He brought up the example of the Indianapolis Colts’ shoulder stripes.
“The shoulder stripes don’t extend as far as they used to, like when we were growing up,” Lukas said, “because the stripe is interrupted by a seam that didn’t exist when we were growing up, because they’ve changed the way they sew and tailor the jersey. OK, I don’t really love that, but at least there’s an explanation I can understand. Form follows function. For these changes, they haven’t given any explanation.”
Is there time to change anything before Opening Day?
It’s unlikely anything substantial will change with the design. It appears the priority will be to fix the pant fit issues — as soon as there are enough pants.
What would Costanza do?
Stan for cotton.
Cotton breathes.
Polyester, you know, it’s not a natural fiber.
This weekend we tracked down Jason Alexander — the actor who played Costanza, not the reliever. Alexander declined an interview. He’s not really a sports fan, his publicist said, so he hasn’t been following the Nike snafu and therefore doesn’t have strong opinions about the new jerseys.
Well, that makes one of us.
(Top photo: New York Yankees/Getty Images)
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All eyes were on Caitlin Clark on Wednesday night as she made her anticipated return from injury in a road matchup in Los Angeles.
But instead of a triumphant comeback, the Fever spent the entire night chasing the Sparks as Clark’s rough return fueled a 106-92 rout.
The superstar never found a groove, looking completely out of sync in her return from a back injury.
STEPHANIE WHITE GIVES CAITLIN CLARK STATUS UPDATE AHEAD OF FEVER-SPARKS, BUT HER NEXT MOVE RAISES QUESTIONS
Caitlin Clark huddles with teammates as the Indiana Fever battle the Sparks. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ((Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images))
Much of that disjointed performance falls squarely on head coach Stephanie White, who kept Clark on a ridiculously tight leash by limiting her to just 16 minutes. The stop-and-go approach could have sabotaged any chance for the phenom to establish a rhythm.
Clark finished with just 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Her minus-16 plus-minus told the story.
The Los Angeles Sparks were severely shorthanded, taking the floor without stars Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink.
MERCURY’S NOW-DELETED SOCIAL MEDIA POST MOCKING CAITLIN CLARK DRAWS SCRUTINY AFTER STAR’S INJURY
Yet while a depleted Sparks roster played to win, Indiana spent the night over-managing its biggest asset.
With Clark on a minutes restriction and Aliyah Boston out of the lineup, Kelsey Mitchell was forced to shoulder the entire offensive burden.
Mitchell did her part, pouring in 29 points while shooting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Caitlin Clark orchestrates the Fever offense as Indiana battles the Los Angeles Sparks in primetime action. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) ((Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images))
But one hot hand couldn’t stop an efficient LA squad.
The Sparks shot 45% from three-point range, going 9-of-20 from deep to cruise to the 106-92 victory.
White’s next move is to sit Clark against the Mercury on Thursday while Boston returns.
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After Wednesday’s loss to a shorthanded Sparks team, it’s fair to question whether Indiana’s cautious approach is working. The Fever dropped to 12-9.
Caitlin Clark and Dearica Hamby face off as Fever and Sparks battle at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images))
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Mookie Betts’ first hit this series against the Rockies couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. With the crack of the ball against his bat, Tommy Edman scored from third, giving the Dodgers the lead.
And as Betts reached first, he pointed to Freddie Freeman, whose single put Edman in scoring position. It had taken a team effort to overcome another middling start from Roki Sasaki, and Betts, who had little to show before his game-winning hit, took the chance to highlight the joint contribution in the Dodgers’ 4-3 rubber-match win over Colorado (38-56).
“It feels great,” Betts said of his nine-pitch battle. “Helping the boys win, that’s really all it is. We play the game to win, and coming through in a big moment is kind of what, when you’re a kid, playing in the backyard, getting that hit is what you always strive to do, and fortunately, I was able to do it.”
Given a three-run lead in the first inning, brought to the Dodgers by a wild pitch and Kyle Tucker’s two-run, line-drive single to left field, Sasaki seemed set up for success.
Still, he gave away the lead as quickly as it came. In the second inning, he left a fastball too far over the plate, and third baseman Kyle Karros drove the ball over the left-center wall. The slider he dealt two batters later to second baseman Edouard Julien also crossed the zone too far over the plate, and Julien rounded the bases with another homer. In the third, a sacrifice fly by Mickey Moniak evened the scored, 3-3.
Sasaki’s troubles this season have been hard to pin down since his last win on May 23, as Sasaki tries to claw back the triple-digit velocity that’s escaped him as of late.
Against the Rockies, his fastball topped out at 99.1 miles per hour before steadily dropping to 98. He had managed five strikeouts in his six innings when manager Dave Roberts replaced him with Jack Dreyer, though the three earned runs couldn’t be ignored.
But Roberts also acknowledged the possibility that the pitcher had been tipping his pitches, possibly since he was playing in Japan, and Sasaki has tried to address it after a three-inning, six-run start last week. Even if he had fully self-corrected, his control issues remain. In the third inning, he walked the tying runner, Brett Sullivan.
“I’ve been working on a lot of things like the tipping stuff,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo. “Also, I need to make quality pitches.”
Sasaki regained some of his confidence in the fourth when he worked out of a two-base jam with two strikeouts and a flyball to right, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Roberts.
“You can see the demeanor walking off the mound, the confidence,” Roberts said. “For me, it was more of let him end on a high note, feeling good about his outing, and then go from there.”
The Dodgers’ problems were compounded by Alex Call wasting the team’s two challenges in his at-bat in the first inning when the team had already taken the lead. And maybe it would’ve been excusable if Call had driven in the runners on first and second, but instead he ended the inning on a strikeout, stranding both. Roberts called the situation an “outlier” and didn’t feel as though he needed to have a conversation with Call regarding the situation.
After the three-run first, the Dodgers (61-33) remained hitless until Max Muncy laced a double down the right-field line in the sixth, though to little avail. As the innings ticked forward, Colorado’s chances seemed to increase. The Rockies hold the best league batting average (.297) in the eighth and ninth innings (the Dodgers are fourth with .268). And the Dodgers relievers, within the same constraints, have a 3.83 ERA — not bad, but not in the top 10 either.
Third baseman Max Muncy can’t get his glove on a line-drive double by Kyle Karros in the fourth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
So when Alex Vesia struggled against the Rockies in the eighth inning and Muncy suffered a throwing error, Colorado seemed in position to score with the bases loaded and one out. Vesia struck out TJ Rumfield and Edgardo Henriquez (4-0), his replacement, retired Karros on a fly ball to right.
After Betts’ single allowed the Dodgers to take the lead, Tanner Scott (13) shut down the Rockies with back-to-back strikeouts, avoiding the team’s eighth series loss of the season.
“Didn’t feel great,” Roberts said. “Fortunately, we won a series, but that’s not the kind of way you want to do it.”
Sports
Justin Verlander announces he will retire after this season: ‘I’ve realized that time has come’
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One of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball will be hanging up his cleats after this season.
Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander announced on Wednesday that the 2026 season will be his last.
Amid an injury-riddled season with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander decided it’s time to go.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander watches from the dugout during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit June 21, 2026. (David Rodriguez-Munoz/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally. I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I’d keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come,” Verlander said in a social media post.
“While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last. It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started – with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity.”
Verlander inked a one-year deal with the Tigers, with whom he spent his first 12½ seasons before being traded to the Houston Astros, in the offseason. In Houston, he returned to dominance, winning both of his World Series titles and two of his Cy Young Awards.
“Baseball has given me more than I could have imagined. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of continuing to adapt and evolve. I’ve been fortunate to play with and against incredible players, for outstanding organizations, and compete in-front of fans who deeply appreciate the game,” Verlander added in his announcement.
Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros celebrates after the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston, Texas. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
PHILLIES STAR SAYS ‘BS RULE’ IS KEEPING HIM FROM BEING NAMED ALL-STAR IN FRONT OF HOME CROWD
“To every teammate, coach, player, clubhouse attendant, and fan who has been part of this journey – thank you. It’s been a privilege to share the field with you. To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, every rehab, and every high and low. I couldn’t have done this without you. It’s time for the next chapter. But first, I’m excited to finish this season the only way I know how – with everything I’ve got.”
Verlander is the active leader with 3,554 strikeouts, which is good for eighth all-time. He needs 21 to surpass Don Sutton and 87 to pass Tom Seaver.
The 43-year-old made his MLB debut in 2005 and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award the following season in what was just a small glimpse of what was to come.
Verlander was a Cy Young Award finalist on four other occasions, consistently near the top of the leaderboard in just about every pitching stat. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred gave Verlander a legend’s exemption to this year’s Midsummer Classic, making him a 10-time All-Star.
One could argue that Verlander should have at least one more Cy Young Award on his mantle, but he is on the fast track to Cooperstown and very much in the conversation to join Mariano Rivera as the only player unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame.
Verlander’s best season came in 2022, when he pitched to a career-best 1.75 ERA along with a 0.829 WHIP. However, that came after he missed the entire 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery for an injury he suffered after pitching just one inning in the abbreviated 2020 season.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning Aug. 22, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
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He won his first Cy Young Award in 2011, when he was also awarded the MVP Award, and his second in 2019. Verlander’s 11 seasons between his first and final Cy Young Awards are the second-most behind Roger Clemens, who had 18 seasons between his first and seventh.
Verlander led the majors in innings and WHIP four times while recording the most strikeouts in three seasons.
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