What at first was met with mixed reviews later became a rallying point for the Boston Red Sox late in the 2021 season.
The yellow “City Connect” uniforms made their debut on April 17, 2021 for Patriots Day weekend. The Red Sox continued to wear the uniforms throughout the season, and like with many things that are new, it took some time to get used to.
ESPN released a ranking of the MLB’s top “City Connect” uniforms on Monday. There are only nine “City Connect” uniforms in the MLB. Five teams, including the Los Angeles Angels and the San Diego Padres, are set to debut their own “City Connect” jersey.
Out of the nine clubs, the Red Sox are ranked fourth on the list.
“We give high marks for boldness and the team’s desire to do something outside of the norm,” ESPN’s Joon Lee wrote. “The City Connect series is not meant to appeal to everyone, and by going with something surprising and outside the box while receiving a relatively positive reception, the Red Sox are pushing forward the idea of what a baseball uniform can look like.”
The colors pay tribute to the tragic Boston Marathon bombing that brought the city together in 2013. Other aspects of the uniform, like the font, also pay homage to Boston.
Players like J.D. Martinez quickly grew to love the new uniform, and Xander Bogaerts bought into the “jersey superstition” during the team’s late season run.
At the top of the ESPN list is the Chicago White Sox followed by the Miami Marlins and the Washington Nationals.
The Sox have not donned their “City Connect” uniforms yet this season, but fans can look forward to the Red Sox’s home opener on April 15. NESN will air the game in full, with pregame coverage starting at 12:30 ET.
