The Los Angeles Dodgers uniform for the 2024 season has undergone changes due to Nike implementing a new chassis aimed at improving the performance and feel of the jersey.
However, that’s been met by widespread backlash and complaints also extended to pants no longer being as customizable. While MLB, Nike and Fanatics purportedly have worked to address player concern, the Dodgers road uniform represents another blunder.
While not immediately or always recognizable to a casual viewer, further inspection of the Dodgers road uniform made it clear the jersey and pants were different colors of gray.
The Dodgers’ road jersey featured a blueish tint while the pants resembled the traditional more of the true gray look.
“That’s because the gray pants have the same fabric as last year and the jerseys are the new fabric,” Uni Watch founder and editor Paul Lukas told DodgerBlue.com in an exclusive interview.
“You can use the same dye lot, and basically the fabric goes into the same vat of dye and is dyed the same shade of gray, but different fabrics will react to dye differently. Or they will react to light differently.
“You can watch a game, and you’ll see one player, the jersey and pants don’t seem to match. Then another player, it looks OK. Or it looks OK on one camera angle but not another camera angle, or it looks OK for a day game but not for a night game.
“So it’s not really consistent, but something is off. You see it in enough situations, enough camera angles, enough teams, where something is clearly off. To me, it looks like the jerseys in general have a little bit of a blue-gray sheen. Not shiny exactly, but they have a little more reflectivity to them. And the pants have more of a dull, putty finish.”
According to Nike, the high-performance fabric of their new jersey template was made from at least 90% recycled polyester yarns and provides 25% more stretch and allows it to dry 28% faster with moisture-wicking Dri-Fit ADV technology.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred recently said he believes criticism would eventually subside and all players would come around to the new chassis. Manfred also said the jerseys are products of Nike, not Fanatics.
Lukas confirmed that to be the case, which Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin also made sure to emphasize when discussing the controversial jerseys.
“It’s probably the biggest story I’ve covered in my 25 years writing about uniforms,” Lukas added. “The way they have managed to screw up the Major League Baseball uniforms this season is really unprecedented.”
Aside from coloring being off for some teams, there also have been multiple delays in the delivery of City Connect uniforms. A new Dodgers City Connect uniform is expected to be unveiled during the 2024 season.
Details of Dodgers jersey changes
In addition to their Dodgers road uniform having a mismatched gray look, the team’s jersey was most notably impacted by Nike’s changes in that the script across the chest no longer has a clean break between the “o” and “d.”
As a result, the “d” is now broken into separate pieces.
The front number on the Dodgers jersey is much smaller than in the past, and the fabric is now perforated. Furthermore, the MLB logo has been lowered, the typography is smaller for the last name on back that also has a much tighter arch.
Nike MLB jerseys with Fanatics
Coinciding with the new on-field Nike Vapor Premier uniforms, the brand collaborated with Fanatics and MLB to develop a three-tier assortment available at the retail level.
Nike Vapor Premier elite jersey
Authentic jersey, as worn by players on-field
Nike Vapor Premier limited jersey
Inspired by the on-field jersey, features an embroidered Nike Swoosh, heat applied twill logos, and a woven, heat applied jocktag, heat-applied sublimated twill player name and number
Nike Vapor Premier game jersey
Replica player jersey, featuring silicone printed heat transfer front wordmark, Nike Swoosh and silhouetted batter, screen-printed back player name and number, heat-applied jocktag and back neck label
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