Angels Outfielder Slams New Nike/Fanatics Jerseys

'It looks like a replica,' one Angels outfielder says. 'It doesn't look like a $450 jersey.'

Angels outfielder Taylor Ward was asked by The Athletic about the new uniforms Major League Baseball issued this year, designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics. He didn't hold back.

“It looks like a replica,” Ward said. “It feels kind of like papery. It could be great when you’re out there sweating, it may be breathable. But I haven’t had that opportunity yet to try that out. But from the looks of it, it doesn’t look like a $450 jersey. So far, thumbs down.”

Talk about a dress-down.

Ward is hardly alone in his sentiment. Angels pitcher Carlos Estevez was also quoted in The Athletic piece, saying “Look at the last names, bro. I’m 6-foot-6. This is going to look tiny on me.”

It's not just the look of the uniforms or the names on the back (although the names are visibly smaller across the league). 

The new Fanatics/Nike MLB uniforms look like players moms got the jerseys on clearance at TJ Maxx. pic.twitter.com/CFYA6gElEa

— Korked Bats (@korkedbats) February 14, 2024

Ask the Angels, and it's also the feel of the clothes. Via The Athletic:

At his locker, Angels reliever

Carlos Estévez

was in a tizzy over the new threads. He pulled out a couple tops and pairs of pants to show that the shades didn’t match. He laughed at the spacing and shrunken nature of the lettering on the back of the jersey. And he bemoaned the fact he can’t customize his pants to his preference, the way pitchers once could, tailoring the fit to their

big dumpers

 and tree-trunk thighs.

“When I wear my pants, I feel like I’m wearing someone else’s pants,” Estévez said.

“I could see Estévez (flexing),” Ward said, “and it just ripping in the back.”

It stands to reason that one team's uniform set could simply translate worse than the others, depending on when and how they were manufactured. That doesn't appear to be the case in spring training, however.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas was already on the record with his distate for the new look. The Athletic quoted players from the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Dodgers — directly or indirectly — voicing their distaste for the new uniforms' look, feel, or both.

A press release and tweet from MLB predictably featured players singing the praises of the new uniforms. Clearly, the sentiment isn't unanimous in either direction. And the Angels' clubhouse is ground zero for consternation.