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The Phillies Need to Bring Back the Red Jerseys
By Nick Piccone
Published:
While Bryce Harper continues his “Not Elite” Media Tour before leaving camp with a handful of others for the World Baseball Classic, I can think about one thing and one thing only – the Phillies need to bring back the red jerseys.
There’s really only one stat that matters in the grand scheme of this argument – the Phillies have not won a playoff series since getting rid of them.
The Phillies axed them before the 2024 season due to Nike’s “4+1” rule, in which they’d create four jerseys per team, and five if the fifth one is a City Connect. The Phillies introduced their City Connect uniforms shortly after the 2024 season began.
I don’t dislike the City Connects, but if I had my pick, it’s the reds all the way.
In addition to the City Connects, the Phillies have their red pinstripes, daytime creams, gray roads, and the powder blue throwbacks. Not many people fell in love with the red ones, but I did. It was the first jersey I’d ever owned, when they’d only wear them during spring training with the mesh style. So seeing them wear them during the actual regular season and in the playoffs… magical. The only adjustment I would’ve made was making the Phillies font a different color – maybe blue, gray, or even white. The white name and number on the back was a clean, sleek look. If we remember Harper for anything during his time as a Phillie, it’ll be “Bedlam at the Bank” and his adoration for the red jerseys.
And, hey, Vince Velasquez struck out 16 Padres in the red jersey during a three-hit complete game in his best start as a Phillie.
Let’s also not forget how ridiculous the “4+1” rule is. I thought the idea behind merchandise was to maximize revenues!? Limiting fan choice on what to spend money on just isn’t good business. Watching spring training games with the Phillies donning red pinstripes should be illegal. Personally, as much as I love the gray look,* that’d be the one to go to make room for the reds again. It’s a tough choice, but until Nike starts their “5+1” campaign, the road grays just aren’t needed. I’d even take the powder blues as the road uni and bring back the reds as the throwback. Just bring me back the reds. And the greens, too. Why are they destroying our jersey legacy!?
Oh, and the last game the Phillies wore the reds? They won Game 5 of the NLCS in Arizona:
You want to see a parade down Broad Street with Bryce and the gang? There’s only one solution.
*Kinkead: the road grays gotta go. They are bland and boring. The jerseys should be red, powder blue, white, cream, and City Connect.
Nick Piccone has covered Philly sports and events for over 14 years with various outlets, including PhillyVoice and Philly Influencer. In 2015, he co-launched the Straight Shooters Wrestling Podcast. He's also a producer for Fox Sports Radio Philadelphia and the Villanova Sports Radio Network. He grew up in South Philadelphia and South Jersey, and is a graduate of Neumann University. Contact: picconenick@gmail.com