Red Sox unveil flashy new uniforms for Patriots’ Day weekend

The Red Sox will have a new look for Patriots’ Day weekend

The Boston Red Sox have tinkered with the design of their uniform over the years but aside from a few tweaks, they have generally stayed consistent with their classic look for several decades. We’ve seen the alternate blue and red uniforms they pull out occasionally but the latest version is significantly different from anything we’ve ever seen from this franchise.

The Red Sox will be the first of several teams to debut Nike City Connect uniforms this season, according to MLB.com’s Michael Clair. The team provided a preview of their new look inspired by the Boston Marathon.

Instead of the classic home whites with the team name stenciled across the front in bold red letters, these uniforms resemble the distinctive marathon colors with yellow jerseys featuring Boston across the front in blue letters. A patch on the left sleeve with “617” printed on it represents the area code where Fenway Park resides. The caps retain the iconic “B” on the front but it will be in the same lighter blue featured on the jersey with yellow trim surrounding it.

The Red Sox plan to wear these new uniforms the weekend leading into Patriots’ Day on April 17 and 18 when they host the Chicago White Sox. They will switch to the white Boston Strong uniforms they have used since the marathon bombing in 2013 with Boston written in red letters across the front when they wrap up the series on Patriots’ Day.

Patriots’ Day has traditionally been a big event in Boston with the marathon as the centerpiece. The Red Sox always play at home for this holiday with an early 11:10 AM start time. While it may seem odd seeing this team take the field wearing uniforms without a hint of red, this new look fits this city for this holiday weekend.

The Red Sox also released a video narrated by David Ortiz to showcase the new uniforms as fans from around the Boston area explain what the “B” represents.

https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1379437682607206402

Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts make brief appearances in the video but it’s Alex Verdugo who is front and center. He’s in only his second season with the Red Sox but Verdugo’s charisma shines as he takes the spotlight. Major League Baseball desperately needs to improve on their strategy for marketing their players and Verdugo has the personality to step into that role as one of the faces of this franchise.

The Miami Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are also expected to wear City Connect uniforms later this season. They will only be used for select games but will return in future seasons as MLB expands the concept to eventually encapsulate the entire league.

Traditionalists will probably scoff at the flashy design that doesn’t include colors typically associated with the Red Sox. The new uniforms are clearly an excuse for MLB to squeeze more money out of their fans. Fair points, although the style paying homage to the Boston Marathon brings a nice connection to this city.

The Red Sox got off to a slow start this season by getting swept by the Baltimore Orioles before finally notching their first win to open their series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Let these Patriots’ Day uniforms serve as a subtle reminder that the season is a marathon, not a sprint.