March 24, 2023
Closing out this week of baseball talk is my ranking of the best uniforms in the sport. On Wednesday, I gave my take on the best team names and then handled the best logos on Thursday. Now, I turn to jerseys and caps. I almost care as much about the dumb, fun off-the-field stuff like this as much as I do what happens in the field of play. Debating uniforms and jerseys is what I'm about.
These rankings take into account vibes, history and broad appeal. There's no true science behind this list beyond what I learned in my decorated two years as a copywriter for Urban Outfitters.
I can't include images of every team's uniform set or this webpage would crash your phone/laptop, so I will simply link to each franchise's sportslogos.net page in the rankings so you can refresh yourself on what they all look like.
I'll give a quick take on each team's uniform, too. Let's get after it...
1. Athletics
Gold and yellow just click for me, especially with that two-tone cap. White spikes? 'Nuff said.
2. Yankees
Is any article of clothing in American sports more iconic than a Yankees hat? I think not.
3. Cubs
I am always pro-pinstripes. The blue socks are the cherry (blueberry?) on top. I dig their City Edition "Wrigleyville" alternate set that incorporates baby blue, too.
4. Brewers
I've been gushing about the Brewers' designs this entire series of articles. They use such a strong shade of yellow and, of course, the logo they use on their caps is elite.
5. Red Sox
The Red Sox's set is one of the gold standards.
6. Blue Jays
Toronto reverting back to the uniform style they used during their early 1990s peak was long overdue. Their alternate hat with a powder blue rim is a nice touch.
7. Phillies
I adore the Phils' cream uniforms and their Throwback Thursday baby blue and maroon look is among the best in the league.
8. Mariners
Like most children across America, I adored Ken Griffey Jr. as a kid. I wore that navy Mariners hat with the teal brim all the time. Looking at it makes me think that baseball is a perfect slice of Americana.
9. Padres
10. Dodgers
Minimalist and clean.
11. Orioles
A strong logo mixed with the black and orange scheme works so well. It's a shame that the team is kind of irrelevant because this is such a great look. A franchise that won a championship in the '70s and had some great times in the '80s and '90s could be so much more. This description could also completely apply to the Philadelphia Flyers.
12. Tigers
The old-school vibes get it done. I'm all about the orange trim on the road uniform stitching.
13. Astros
Houston should drop the circular logo they use and just go with the 'H' from their caps. Going back to this navy and orange color scheme after the grim look of the "Killer Bs" era was so, so smart. The "Space City" City Edition jerseys? Awesome.
14. Twins
I really dig the Twins' name, logo and uniforms. Maybe I watched "Little Big League" one too many times, but their new overhaul for the 2023 season already looks timeless.
15. Giants
The cream/off-white shade San Francisco uses for their home uniforms sets them apart.
16. Cardinals
I guess these would fall under the "classic" tier. The navy hat with a red brim and a bird logo is my favorite part of their overall look.
17. Royals
The understated simplicity works well enough.
18. White Sox
Black pinstripes? ✅
19. Guardians
I dig the rigid wordmark font they've chosen.
20. Mets
It's with a heavy heart that I admit that the Mets' uniforms are, at worst, decent.
21. Reds
Fine, but nothing special.
22. Pirates
I'm begging you... do something with the literal Pirate alternate logo you use with your primary logo, cap or uniforms.
23. Marlins
How can a team with light blue, a bright shade of red and a quirky slate have such bland designs overall?
24. Rays
I am a millennial who will continue to ask for the return of the Devil Rays name and branding.
25. Angels
The 1990s era was better with the sleeveless jerseys and more animated hats. Since I was born in 1994, I believe everything was better in the '90s, obviously. These are somewhat boring, which sums up the state of a franchise that has two transcendent talents, but is mired in mediocrity. The cap logo, however, is pretty good.
26. Rangers
Everything about this franchise is blah, which means they'll sweep the Phillies next weekend because of how poorly they've ranked in all of these columns.
27. Diamondbacks
Bring back the Randy Johnson-era set full time and Arizona will leap into the top tier.
28. Rockies
They're too conservative. Go wild with purple! The primary logo and these uniforms don't maximize the great Rockies/mountain concept and how purple pops.
29. Nationals
Move this team back to Montreal already!
30. Braves
Bad.
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