Earlier this week when the Purple Sox posted their pictures from group image day, it instantly grew to become obvious that one thing was off with the membership’s residence white jerseys.
Not like in earlier years the place there was clear separation between the phrases “Purple” and “Sox” and the purple piping working down the entrance of the uniform, this yr the phrases appeared to overlap with the purple strains. The Nike “Swoosh” brand additionally appeared notably tighter than prior to now.
In comparison with final yr (left), there’s one thing off in regards to the lettering on the Purple Sox’ residence whites this yr (proper). pic.twitter.com/1whb3Vlyj8
— Brendan Campbell (@brendan_camp) February 17, 2026
Wednesday afternoon the Purple Sox addressed these considerations.
“As a part of Main League Baseball’s return to the 2023 jersey template, we accredited a design for our residence white jerseys, which Fanatics produced precisely to our specs. As soon as they have been produced and seen in particular person, we felt there needs to be extra spacing between the lettering and piping,” the Purple Sox mentioned in a press release. “In collaboration with MLB and Fanatics, we’re adjusting the house whites to realize this separation. The up to date jerseys might be prepared for Opening Day. We’re grateful to our companions for his or her ongoing assist.”
It was an up to date model of comparable preliminary assertion, with essentially the most notable change being the addition language absolving Fanatics of blame.
The unique assertion opened by saying: “As a part of Main League Baseball’s return to the 2023 jersey template, we accredited a design for our residence white jerseys that, as soon as produced and seen in particular person, we felt might be cleaner within the spacing between the lettering and piping.”
Half an hour after the Purple Sox posted the revised assertion, they connected a second tweet:
“To be clear, the unique design was chosen by the Purple Sox. Fanatics executed to our specs and has been an impressive associate all through. They deserve no blame and we’re grateful to them for making the brand new jerseys in time for Opening Day.”
The Purple Sox’s off-looking residence jerseys mark the most recent uniform-related dust-up to befall MLB over the previous few years, and this one was an unintended consequence of making an attempt to appropriate a earlier misstep.
Previous to the 2024 season MLB switched to a brand new uniform template designed by Nike that was touted as being extra light-weight and breathable than earlier iterations. However the brand new uniforms flopped spectacularly upon their debut in spring coaching, with gamers complaining that the jerseys appeared low-cost, felt papery and that the names on the again have been too small.
There have been additionally a myriad of points associated to the uniforms pants.
“The pants are tremendous see-through. It’s not skilled,” then-Purple Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta told the Herald on the time. “I don’t know, I’m not going to complain an excessive amount of, it’s a giant league uniform, however there are little tiny particulars that was higher and it looks as if they simply modified a pair issues.”
The blowback was so fierce that MLB and Nike unwound the modifications and returned to the earlier uniform template in 2025. That course of evidently didn’t go fully with out a hitch, however the Purple Sox have been fast to deal with this yr’s situation as soon as it got here to gentle.
