Mariners' new uniforms draw ire and laughs

The new Major League Baseball uniforms, unveiled at spring training last week, appear to be striking out with Mariners fans, some players and baseball purists everywhere.

Why it matters: The nearly see-through pants , smaller lettering and thinner jerseys provoked outrage from people who claim the new outfits are cutting corners … and unleashed a slew of jokes about players' underwear .

What they're saying: "The Mariners' new uniforms, and those of the MLB in general, are an embarrassment," Christopher O'Day, the managing editor of SoDo Mojo , told Axios. With "the not only cheap but thin material, they look like low-quality knockoffs."

• "... no comment on that question," Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh said when asked about the 2024 uniforms .

State of play: The new Nike Vapor Premier jerseys have 25% more stretch and were created to be lighter and more breathable, according to an explanation by Major League Baseball.

• They were designed by Nike with input from players, and manufactured by Fanatics, which has been making MLB uniforms since 2017.
• Fanatics declined to comment.

Yes, but: Baseball fans are known to be unusually averse to modifications and revisions, according to Ad Age , an advertising and marketing newsletter.

• "All people fear and hate most change, but baseball's players and fans fear and hate it more than most," wrote Matt Trueblood in a recent article about the uniforms in Northside Baseball .

What's next: An MLB spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN that adjustments are being made to the jerseys and pants based on feedback from players during spring training.

Sign up for Axios Seattle for free.