ORIOLES Players’ reviews on new jerseys mixed

Nike Vapor Premier gear draws some critics

SARASOTA, Fla. — There’s one positive with Major League Baseball’s new jerseys, according to one Orioles pitcher.

Fans who bring binoculars to games now have something to search for.

“I laughed when I saw the back of my jersey with the name and the letters,” he said, referencing the small, curved lettering of players’ names on the back of their jerseys.

MLB’s new Nike Vapor Premier jerseys have drawn the ire of the league’s players this spring, and the Orioles are no different. Several Orioles players, who spoke under the condition of anonymity to avoid consequences from the league, said the new threads, which will be worn throughout the season, are not up to snuff.

While the overall breathability of the jersey is generally positive, the players said, the aesthetics of the jerseys are “brutal,” the sleeves are uncomfortable and the pants aren’t customizable. Overall, a second pitcher said, it seems like uniforms designed and engineered by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics were made to save money.

“They look cheap,” he said. “It’s no knock on anyone, but we’ve had the same jerseys for so many years, the same look, the same aesthetic, the same weight,” the first Oriole said. “You get used to it and things change, and that’s when you see these come in and there’s a lot of backlash throughout the league.”

Nike did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Fanatics spokesperson declined to comment.

However, the players noted that the Orioles’ jerseys don’t look as bad as other teams’. The coloring on the orange jersey “seems a little bright,” but other teams have it worse.

The second Orioles player gasped when he recalled seeing the side-by-side photo of Chicago White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech in last year’s jersey versus this season’s. The picture, which went viral on social media, is much worse than what the Orioles’ jerseys look like.

“Oh, my gosh,” he recalled saying. “That is terrible.”

“Overall, I think ours are probably, from what I’ve seen, not the worst,” a third pitcher said.

Félix Bautista, 28, recently underwent right elbow debridement and an ulnar nerve transposition, operations that include the removal of scar tissue and repositioning of a compressed nerve, respectively.

The Orioles players did say that while the look of the jerseys will “take some getting used to,” the lighter jersey is a good change.

“They’re pretty comfortable, to be honest. The look, though? I don’t know,” the second pitcher. “It’s kind of a knockoff version.”

A fourth Baltimore pitcher said he doesn’t mind the jerseys. “It’s the pants that are the issue,” he said. The new pants aren’t customizable or tailored to each player like the old pants.

In an MLB news release, the league said the uniforms were meant to “improve mobility.” But two Orioles pitchers said the cuffs on the jerseys ride up on their arms while throwing.

“They don’t sit right,” the first pitcher said. “And, honestly, the old cuffs, where they had the pinstripe on the sleeve, looked seamless and really clean. This looks not all that clean, and it doesn’t feel right.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was asked Thursday during a news conference about the criticism surrounding the new jerseys, and he referenced how the feedback from the 2023 All-Star Game, when they were first introduced, was “uniformly positive from the players.”

“The jerseys are different,” Manfred said. “They’re designed to be performance wear as opposed to what’s been traditionally worn, so they are going to be different. But they have been tested more extensively than any jersey in any sport. … I think after people wear them a little bit, they’re going to be really popular.”

The league’s news release said the jerseys were designed with “breathable, lightweight, high-performance fabric” that is 25% more stretchy and dries 28% faster than the previous jerseys.

“The jerseys this season are much more breathable, with vents on the numbers and better airflow all around,” Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman said in the news release. “It’s really going to make a difference during those hot summer games when I’m in full gear.”

His teammates agree that the new jerseys could be better in the summer.

“The weight of it feels great,” the first Oriole said.

“It might be better with sweat,” the second pitcher said. “I know I sweat a lot in the middle of the summer in Baltimore.”

Each Orioles player said their issues with the uniforms are all fixable, and they hope the league will take a look at making modifications before the season starts.

“We’re the ones in them,” the first pitcher said. “Can we just have a conversation about this? We’re willing to help.”