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A Uni Watch Look at MLB’s Opening Day 2025

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Good morning, Uni Watchers. It’s Friday — we made it!

Yesterday was Major League Baseball’s 2025 Opening Day, even though technically the two games played in Tokyo between the Dodgers and Cubs marked the start of games that count. And a new MLB season means lots of uniform changes and news. If you need to get up to speed for all the 2025 MLB uni news, yesterday I published the annual (and my first) 2025 MLB Uniform Preview, a tradition begun by our Founder, Paul Lukas, way back in 1999!

Hopefully you can all give that a read, and let me know what you think.

If you read the Uni Watch 2025 MLB Uniform Preview, you’ll know that the biggest uniform news affecting every team is the numerous adjustments made to MLB jerseys, the most “visible” of all being the return to pre-2024 NOB, number and font sizes, almost all of which were made smaller on Nike’s new jersey template. It’s actually an adjustment seeing gray jerseys and pants in the same shade and properly sized name and numbers.

There are still a few uniform issues from last year that need to be addressed, but those won’t happen until 2026. Still, a good number of changes (all covered in the uni preview) have been made for 2025, and aesthetically the uniforms should look much, much better this year.

Opening Day gave us our first looks at many of the announced uniform updates and changes. Let’s take a look at those and more.

• • • • •
• We got our first on-field look at the Mets’ new road uniforms. I have to say, it took some getting used to, but I like the new look.

We also got our first look at the new Ed Kranepool memorial patch, which will share sleeve space with the Mets logo (gotta keep the sleeve with the ad clear). This short video clip gives a nice all-around view of the uni and patch.

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• The Kansas City Royals debuted their full powder blue uniforms (including their new cap and batting helmet).

I love the full powder look, but honestly, I hate it as a home uniform. It will never look right to me to see a powder blue vs. gray game. Ever.

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• The Los Angeles Dodgers debuted their gold-accented “World Series Champs” jerseys and caps.

Both caps and jerseys featured special 2024 World Series Champions patches.

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• The (Sacramento) Athletics debuted their new (old) gold jerseys on the road in Seattle.

We also got our first look at how the A’s will handle their three new patches: the small, circular Rickey Henderson memorial and the rather large Sacramento logo will share one sleeve, while the ad will share space with nothing.

You’ll want to be sure to turn the volume down, but this video of the A’s player introductions shows off the new uniforms pretty well.

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• The Cleveland Guardians gave us our first on-field look at their slightly tweaked road uniforms:

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• The Milwaukee Brewers were sporting their Bob Uecker patch on the same sleeve as their logo. Their advertiser has the other sleeve all to itself.

Brewers announcer Lane Grindle paid tribute to Ueck with his home run call (you will want the volume up for this one):

• And the Brewers’ Christian Yelich wore an all-plaid suit on Opening Day to honor Bob Uecker.

You can read more about that here.

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• The Cincinnati Reds were sporting their Pete Rose memorial patch. Looks like they made it share space with their advertiser…

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• The Chicago White Sox caps showed off their 125th Anniversary logo.

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• The Atlanta Braves wore solid blue caps with their road uniforms yesterday (the style guide had shown the navy cap with red bills as their “road” cap).

The caps were outfitted with the 2025 All-Star Game logo, which will be hosted by the Braves this year.

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• Players (rookies) appearing in their first MLB game are still being outfitted with “MLB Debut” patches:

Submitter Matthew Drake notes the Giants (and other teams like the Mets, Guardians, Phillies, and Braves) have gone back to stitched ribbon for their stripes, as opposed to elastic inserts. “I think the fix will be limited to road uniforms for this year, though,” he adds.

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• You could say this about every team, but it sure is a pleasure seeing player NOB and number returned to their proper sizes.

(It’s also good to see Sandy Alcantara back on the bump. He’ll look really good in royal blue and orange in a couple months…)

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• It shouldn’t bother me, but I really hate it when teams wear dark colored tops on Opening Day (the only teams who have an excuse are the Mariners and Rays, if they open on the road, since they have no gray jerseys). But the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels, Chicago Cubs, and Minnesota Twins all wore softball tops on the road yesterday.

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• MLB posted a graphic showing every Opening Day Field Logo since 2001. Interestingly that graphic shows the MLB logo with an ad for 2025. But the logo at Yankee Stadium was ad free (as it was at other ballparks). And it’s also interesting that some teams eschew “Opening Day” on their graphic for “Opening Week”.

• • • • •
And there you have it — a look at MLB’s Opening Day 2025.

What do you think of the new uniforms/patches/logos? And how good do the uniforms look so far? It’s like night and day from last season. I’m pretty sure MLB/Nike weren’t trying to pull a New Coke on us, but if they were, it’s working.

 

 
  
 

Guess the Game from the Scoreboard

Guess The Game…

…From The Scoreboard

Today’s scoreboard comes from Jackson Chutney.

The premise of the game (GTGFTS) is simple: I’ll post a scoreboard and you guys simply identify the game depicted. In the past, I don’t know if I’ve ever completely stumped you (some are easier than others).

Here’s the Scoreboard. In the comments below, try to identify the game (date and location, as well as final score). If anything noteworthy occurred during the game, please add that in (and if you were AT the game, well bonus points for you!):

Please continue sending these in! You’re welcome to send me any scoreboard photos (with answers please), and I’ll keep running them.

 

 

Guess the Game from the Uniform


Based on the suggestion of long-time reader/contributor Jimmy Corcoran, we’ve introduced a new “game” on Uni Watch, which is similar to the popular “Guess the Game from the Scoreboard” (GTGFTS), only this one asked readers to identify the game based on the uniforms worn by teams.

Like GTGFTS, readers will be asked to guess the date, location and final score of the game from the clues provided in the photo. Sometimes the game should be somewhat easy to ascertain, while in other instances, it might be quite difficult. There will usually be a visual clue (something odd or unique to one or both of the uniforms) that will make a positive identification of one and only one game possible. Other times, there may be something significant about the game in question, like the last time a particular uniform was ever worn (one of Jimmy’s original suggestions). It’s up to YOU to figure out the game and date.

Today’s GTGFTU comes from Jimmy Corcoran himself.

Good luck and please post your guess/answer in the comments below.

 

 

And finally...

…that’ll do it for the early article. I should have a couple more pieces today, including Susan’s Ticker, so be sure to keep checking back.

Everyone have a great Friday and a better weekend. Anthony will take you through till Monday, when next we meet.

Till then…

Peace,

PH

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Comments (44)

    I share your disdain for the dark tops. Was watching the Cubs game last night and was like, seriously?

    Reply

    In an unannounced change, the San Francisco Giants finally changed the batting helmet logo from a flat decal to a raised, 3-D application. I’ve been hoping they’d do that for years!

    Reply

    Improved uniforms overall and the Royals look good. I have no objection to playing home in powder blue. I do like the Mets away uniforms. It is a different look, but still nice. I think the A’s should have a gold cap with a green A’s logo with white outline to go with that gold jersey.

    Reply

    By and large, a very aesthetically pleasing Opening Day. No league wide special hats, no CC’s (some of which I don’t mind, just not on Opening Day!), and properly sized names and numbers on the jerseys.

    Reply

    The new Mets’ uniforms looked great. While I share your reservations about pastel blue home uniforms, the bigger issue with the Royals is how small the hat insignia is.

    Reply

    Not a fan of Sacramento, but I do like the Athletics uniforms in general. The Green/Gold/Gray combo looks odd to me, and I have no idea why.

    Reply

    It’s probably because this is a combo they rarely used in the past and to open a season in them feels like a definitive break point with whatever the A’s were before.

    Reply

    When the gold jerseys were introduced, they were considered a home alternate only. Then the A’s swept a homestand while wearing the golds and, superstition being what it is, the clubhouse guys smuggled them out for the ensuing road trip. A’s pitcher Brian Fuentes said he would even pay for the golds to get sent out on the road, but apparently the team was all in already.

    I don’t love the golds with gray trousers, but I like the golds so much that I’ll take them any time.

    Reply

    Agreed the gold top with the cheap looking grey pants looks so beer leagueish. Not only that the hat doesn’t even match with anything else. The White Sox 125 patch is cool, they should also have on opposite side a 121 patch commemorating last years record setting season.

    Reply

    I may have missed a previous report, but the Nats wore their traditional red home caps instead of their tri-color caps with the white front panel. Looked like the Nationals.

    Reply

    I don’t begrudge Paul for his decision to put the MLB Preview behind a paywall when he was at the helm, but a big “thank you,” Phil, for returning this to the “core” site for 2025!

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    The Mets’ grays without the placket piping are definitely going to take some getting used to; for now it looks like something’s missing, the “NEW YORK” lettering appears to be too small, and the plain front (along with the collar and cuff striping) makes it look like a pullover.

    I know, I need to get over it….

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    Jay, I agree with the “take time to get used to” bit on the Mets new grays. I also think you’ll still think they’re the best road grays in the show.

    After a year of watching all teams with the smaller wordmarks, scripts, numbers and NOBs, a “return” to pre-2024 sizes almost feels off. Almost.

    We’ll look back at the 2024 fiasco and remember just how good Original Coke was.

    Reply

    i think the letters on the front are too small and i don’t think i’m going to get used to that unless they change it. i’m considering this a downgrade to me until they address that, it feels off

    Reply

    I also thought the lettering is too small. It also looks like there’s more spacing in the word “York” than “New.” On some, it also looks like the numbers on the front are too low.

    Reply

    Here’s a quick and dirty 2023-2024-2025 comparison of the Mets road jerseys.

    2023 definitely had a larger “NEW YORK” while in 2024 “NEW YORK” was made smaller but the number font was slightly larger. The 2025 looks like the team kept the 2024 “NEW YORK” size, but have returned to the 2023 number size/placement.

    The result is the 2025 jersey has more “space” between the bottom of “NEW YORK” and the top of the front number.

    link

    Reply

    that’s awesome to see side by side, thanks Phil. confirms what i thought and feel, 2023 feels right. if they switch back to those relative sizes i’d like to see the new uni that way to give it another shot, as i do like the sleeve/neck striping better in theory of the 2025

    Thanks for this comparison, Phil. The 2023 size for the word mark looks far better than the 2024/25 size. The smaller size makes each picture of last year’s (and, now, this year’s) road greys look like a bad photoshop job. I’m fine with the elimination of the headspoon and the new striping but, even disregarding last year’s abominations, the ’25 jerseys are somewhat of a step backward.

    A’s Yellow jerseys looks off with gray pants. I’d think it would look better with yellow, white or even green. Was yellow/gray a combination worn in the past?

    Reply

    I’m pretty sure in the past they used the green tops with the grey pants on the road, and the yellow tops with white pants as an alternate at home.

    Reply

    I’m pretty sure the A’s only paired the gold jerseys with their white pants.

    And like many of you, I don’t like the gold over gray. Pastels and light colors (like powder blue) should never be paired with gray pants.

    Based on their uniform history, I’m fine with the A’s wearing green and gold tops, like they did in their WS 1972-74 years. Of course, they only had white (or in some cases gold or even green) pants back then, but no gray. Sadly, teams are no longer permitted to wear white pants on the road (except with very limited exceptions). Another reason to avoid softball tops on the road: they often look terrible when paired with gray pants. At least with white pants, color tops usually work.

    • I very much prefer these new Mets road unis to the head spoon ones. The added orange just feels right to me.
    • Either the Royals need to wear their powders only on the road, or the visitors should wear white. The powder v gray looks terrible.
    • The A’s should never wear their gold jerseys on the road. Gray plus a light color never looks good – Same could be said for any team planning on wearing a light top on the road
    • I agree that teams should only wear their primary uniforms on opening day (In all sports). Some exceptions could be made for special anniversary/event unis (NY Giants 100yr fauxbacks). I’d extend that rule to the playoffs as well. I hate seeing the Celtics wearing black in the playoffs. Well, always, but especially in the playoffs.

    Reply

    Something doesn’t sit right for me with the Royals powder blue set. Maybe it’s the helmet? Also the only wearing it at home part is wrong, I agree with the take here.

    Reply

    MLB in 2025 is a classic case of close, but not quite. KC brings back their classic powder blue unis, but pairs them with a goofy white-paneled cap/helmet. The A’s bring back their classic gold tops, but pair them with grey pants. And I agree about the colored softball tops.

    Reply

    The Royals tri-colored hat won’t last long. They have a history of using something other than the standard classic royal blue hat for a couple of seasons and quietly dropping them. They had a grey crown with royal blue bill as road hat in the mid 90’s, a black crown with a royal blue bill during their BFBS/ vest years in the early 2000’s and the powder blue crown with royal blue bill in the early twenty teens.

    Reply

    GTGFTU: December 17, 1972
    San Diego Stadium, San Diego, CA
    Steelers 24, Chargers 2

    ’72 was the only year the Chargers had white helmets with yellow bolts, blue jerseys with white numerals, and yellow pants with stripes instead of bolts down the side.

    Reply

    Nice eye Graf, this uniform was a one year style. Number 82 is my father’s old Philadelphia Bell buddy Tim Rossovich.

    Reply

    When I saw the photo I said to myself, “Ah, the 26-2 game.” But that was the score of the original Pittsburgh Maulers’ final game against the Jacksonville Bulls. Pittsburgh came out on the wrong end of that score.

    Reply

    The logo on the Royals hat is too small indeed. Should have been a royal blue KC. The A’s gold jersey looks much better with white pants, I totally agree. The White Sox 125 logo is very nice, by the way.

    Reply

    I totally agree with your takes in the Royals and Opening Day dark tops. When watching the game I thought they would look so much better if playing a team in white.

    Ive always thought Opening Day should be about tradition, which to me is standard whites and greys. I have no issue with colored tops for the other 161 games.

    And lastly, I love that the A’s brought back the yellow tops, but they really need to stick to wearing them at home.

    Reply

    To me it looked like the A on the A’s uniform was bigger in the past than it was last night.

    Reply

    When you think about it, it’s so weird that they could switch the grey jerseys but not the other colors. I’m really curious about the deeper reasoning there. It’s just fabric and they had a ton of heads up. How much do they need to make? I feel like car companies make new car parts faster than these guys can make shirts.

    Reply

    The New Mets road jersey looks way better. I agree with others that the KC powder blue would look better as a road uniform with the standard cap/helmet. The yellow A’s jersey look fine with the gray pants. It’s a good mix with one bright color and one drab color. How about a yellow cap? The Dodgers looks surprisingly decent with the gold lettering. It would look even better with the gray although you’ll probable never see it.

    Reply

    GTGFTS: June 2, 2014
    Pirates move to 27-30 in the second of three straight Wild Card seasons.

    I long for those days now.

    Reply

    At the Marlins game yesterday
    1) Marlins Park is beautiful when the dome is open.
    2) With all of the snowbirding Pirate fans in attendance, I saw every possible Pittsburgh jersey from 1970 on from classic Clemente whites through Parker yellow pinstripes into Skenes CC’s.
    3) On the flip side, about 50% of Marlins fans were wearing teal, 40% current colors, 10% orange.

    Reply

    Powder blue uni should be a road uniform for the Royals. I don’t like the hat and the helmet is worse.

    Reply

    I love the the new Mets road jerseys although I wished they had used the 1987 “New York” style script instead!

    Reply

    Those Mets road unis are beauties. That extra bit of orange makes all the difference. These plus their home pinstripes might be the best set in MLB.

    Reply

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