MLB City Connect Jerseys 2023: Everything you need to know about the next set of jersey releases

Heading into the 2023 MLB campaign, Nike has announced a new rule involving the City Connect Jerseys. According to multiple reports, the company has announced a "4+1" rule, which means teams will be able to carry four different sets of jerseys, as well as one specialty jersey.

"Interesting development re: Nike & MLB unis. Nike has supposedly instituted a 4+1 rule; 4 uniforms + 1 special uniform (i.e., City Connect). Meaning, the #Dbacks may need to drop a uniform set. Home white, Home teal alt, Road grey, Black alt, Red alt, City Connect" - Arizona Diamondbacks - Stats & Info

Launched in 2021, the City Connect Jerseys are a series of alternate uniforms made by Nike for the MLB. The jerseys feature different color schemes, fonts, and graphical elements compared to the teams' typical home and away uniforms.

All of the jerseys incorporate features from the region or state where the teams are located. The San Francisco Giants City version, for instance, features an orange and white design, a silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge, and a unique fog gradient across the front, sleeves, and numbering.

"I don’t know about regular unis but these Giants “city connect”unis are atrocious." - @JamilitonCool

The release of the jerseys was done in groups, with seven teams featured in the original launch back in 2021. The Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox were in the first group to launch their new alternate jersey.

In 2022, the next wave of teams introduced their version of the alternate jersey. The teams that released their Nike alternatives were the Los Angeles Angels, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and the Kansas City Royals.

When the partnership with Nike was launched, 2023 was supposed to see the remainder of the teams launch their alternatives. However, rumors are swirling that several teams' alternate jerseys may be pushed back until 2024.

While it currently remains unclear which teams' jerseys will be released in 2023 or 2024, it appears that the remaining 16 teams will be divided over the next two seasons.

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What has the reception been to the MLB's City Connect Jerseys?

For the most part, fans have enjoyed seeing their teams play in a different color scheme, or seeing their cities represented.

"There are several reasons why listening to baseball games on the radio is a great idea but none better than the San Diego Padres' City Connect uniforms." - @NatsAndCats

Some have been more well-received than others, with the San Diego Padres' alternative jersey may have been the most polarizing of them all. The alternative uniform has a white base, pink and mint sleeves, and San Diego on the front in honor of the culture of both the city of San Diego and Tijuana.