Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle, renowned for his preference for tighter-fitting baseball pants, voiced some concerns about the fit of the new MLB uniforms during spring training. While designed by Nike and now manufactured by Fanatics, replacing the previous supplier Majestic, the updated attire seems to fall short of his personal preference.
Kahnle expressed contentment with the jersey, but the pants left him wanting. He cited them as being less comfortably snug than past iterations, potentially impacting his pitching performance. Whether the issue can be resolved through tailoring or future adjustments remains to be seen.
The Yankees reliever noted that in recent years, he felt the uniforms lacked stretchiness. However, he observed that this year’s fabric is noticeably tighter than what they’re accustomed to.
Kahnle expressed a consensus opinion among players, stating that the uniforms are not well-received. He noted that many of the players share this sentiment, indicating that they are not fond of the new uniforms.
Clarke Schmidt concurred that there was a noticeable variance in the new uniforms but remained intrigued by the possibility that they might become more comfortable with continued wear.
Schmidt mentioned that the new uniforms might be “slightly tighter in certain areas” and noted that the material felt different compared to the Majestic pants, which were “a little more giving.” However, he expressed a wait-and-see approach to see how they perform over time.
Yankees pitchers get rival’s backing
While the primary concern revolves around the comfort of the uniforms, there has also been negative feedback regarding the aesthetics, particularly concerning the smaller name plates on the back. However, this aspect won’t impact the Yankees’ jerseys as they traditionally do not feature player names on either their home or road uniforms.
Schmidt remarked that the images depicted the jerseys in an odd manner. He noted that the absence of player names on their uniforms is a positive aspect for the Yankees.
Lindor mentioned that he wasn’t a fan of the font on the back, noting that it appeared rather small. However, he did express appreciation for the material of the jersey itself, describing it as light. Lindor indicated that he would reserve judgment on its performance until he actually started playing games. He observed that it almost gave off a basketball jersey vibe, which he believed was what Nike was aiming for. Nonetheless, he remarked that everything else seemed fine except for the font being a bit smaller.
In contrast, Mets reliever Adam Ottavino appeared to be more focused on the consumer perspective regarding the new jerseys.
Ottavino mentioned that the jerseys feel comfortable, despite not appearing very official. He noted that they resemble replicas of the previous ones with more stitching. He understood the intention behind the changes but pointed out that fans ordering expensive jerseys might have certain expectations regarding their appearance, which might not be met with the new design.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
It’s like a builder of a new house. I promise to use x, y, & z materials, but you also agree that if I change materials you will not complain. These things look beer league ready. Telling the public they are using last year measurements? Claiming they have been asking the players, bull. using a uni top for the ASG festivities and the game, where these guys may play for 3 or 4 Innings in a relaxed manner doesn’t mean anything in a real way. Then, anyone really surprised when players who have apparel agreements with Nike not saying anything negative? Legally, they probably can’t, even if they complained to them privately.