Good Riddance! MLB Returning To Individual Team Uniforms For All-Star Game

The game-specific uniforms used in the last few All-Star Game are going away and players will again wear their team jerseys beginning in July 2025.

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; American League second baseman Marcus Semien of the Texas Rangers (2) runs to first base during the fourth inning of the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers hosted their second All-Star Game in July. Turns out it was historic for a new reason.

On Monday, Major League Baseball announced that for next year’s game in Atlanta that teams would revert back to the traditional home-and-away uniforms that were worn from the founding of the game in the 1930s to 2019.

That means any Rangers that play in the 2025 game will wear the traditional gray uniforms, since the American League will be the road team.

That also means fans won’t get a repeat of this year’s uniforms. Rangers All-Stars like Marcus Semien wore tan jerseys with red sleeves, while National League All-Stars wore black uniforms with teal sleeves.

Players like Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper didn’t like the look and said so during the lead-up to the game. Turns out MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was listening.

“I’m aware of the sentiment,” he said during a press conference.

This came two years after Manfred told reporters that he like the change to a single uniform for each league during the game. So the decision represented a significant change in tune.

"I never thought that a baseball team wearing different jerseys in a game was a particularly appealing look for us,” he said.

Players will still wear specific jerseys during workout day. Players that participate in the Home Run Derby will be allowed to wear their traditional uniforms.

MLB made the change as part of its 10-year, $1 billion deal with Nike to become MLB's official uniform supplier. With it came specially-designed uniforms for the game.

The league also announced that it is moving back to the former fabric and lettering used before Nike introduced the Vapor Premier jersey design, which was supposed to improve mobility and fit for players.

The uniforms caused widespread criticism from players about the uniforms, including the smaller lettering and numbers. MLB said it conducted a survey of players on next steps, and the new uniforms will feature enlarged letters for player names, embroidered sleeve patches and reverting back to full pant customization.

It will take more than a year for the uniforms to return to their 2023 form, but the transition will start with road uniforms, which will be ready for spring training.