A historic franchise such as the Philadelphia Phillies is never the biggest fan of change.
Since the club's inception in 1883, remarkably little has changed to the uniform design and look. The classic red, white, and blue color scheme has been a staple of Phillies baseball and has been adapted into different shades, patterns, and logos throughout the years.
With the debut of the new Nike City Connect uniforms, the Phillies go outside the box with a gradient blue and yellow scheme representative of the colors that appear on the Philadelphia flag. It's a completely unique look for the team.
It's difficult to rank the Phillies uniform sets as each one has its own history, meaning, and aesthetic that can affect the way the fans and players view the jerseys. Each set includes not only the actual uniforms but also the accompanying gear and merchandise.
Without further ado, here is our ranking of the Phillies' current uniforms.
Phillies uniform No. 5: Road grays
You likely saw this coming.
While it always gets the worst rap, the road gray uniform will be the most utilized in 2024. Now that the Phillies have been forced to drop the getaway red jerseys thanks to Nike's 4+1 rule, the gray uniform is the only remaining road option.
To be frank, there is nothing special about these uniforms. The most common among major league teams and the number one option for road jerseys, the grays are a simple design that allows home teams to do whatever they want with their look.
In another botch by Nike and Fanatics for the 2024 season, the Phillies, like many other teams, have a disparity between the color of the pants and the jerseys.
It's tough to show any style with road grays, as the color scheme is just gray and red. At least the Phillies use the iconic "Phillies" script on the chest, instead of using a city name like the majority of teams use on their road grays.
The simple Phillies' road gray uniform still looks nice, it's just not anybody's favorite. This classic look, with no real shine or uniqueness, ranks as No. 5 this season.
Phillies uniform No. 4: City Connects
It's time to talk about them.
The Phillies and Nike received plenty of backlash from fans over the new uniform. The combination of light and dark blue with yellow seems like an odd choice for a franchise that has historically been red, white, and blue. However, when you learn about the design and why it was created this way, it actually makes sense.
On the surface, the City Connect uniform looks out of place. However, when you realize the colors are based on the Philadelphia flag, the blue collar represents the city's culture, and the script is a brand new font designed specifically for these jerseys, it makes them unique and very interesting.
The biggest knock on the City Connect uniforms is they are out of place for the Phillies. The jerseys looked great on the field when the players debuted them during last Friday's home game against the Pirates, but when the camera panned to the crowd, fans were still mostly wearing red, white, and blue. As some baseball purists would say, the uniforms look like something a college team would design.
That being said, the players did a great job accessorizing the uniforms with their gear, including awesome cleats like Bryson Stott's custom-made Nikes.
Overall, the City Connect uniform is actually pretty cool. The problem in ranking it, though, is that the Phillies have some incredible uniform sets. The way the other uniforms match with the fans, stadium, and aesthetic gives them the upper leg.
Phillies uniform No. 3: Day game cream alternates
Another modernized classic that the Phillies have been sporting for a decade and a half, the cream uniform at home during day games pays homage to the uniforms worn towards the end of the 1940s.
Another example of a clean uniform that looks sharp but doesn't add too much flair or flashiness. A common theme among Phillies jerseys is a professional, simple look, and the creams do a great job of breaking the common trend of white or grey uniforms and using a slightly off-color tan that extenuates the red, white, and blue scheme.
As many uniforms did, the creams took a massive hit with the changes from Nike and Fanatics with a slight color change to more of a yellow and an almost see-through jersey which takes away from the look. On a sunny day, however, the players on the field look immaculate in this set.
The off-white color gives players the opportunity to use secondary colors to gear up, much like the home pinstripes. Unlike the home pinstripes, though, blue is often used as a secondary color, as the red-brimmed blue hat completes the look.
Most teams use their alternate uniforms as a chance to wear a colored jersey matching the team colors, such as the Washington Nationals with navy blue or the Baltimore Orioles with orange. With the Phillies unable to wear the red jerseys anymore, this is their next best bet.
Phillies uniform No. 2: Home red pinstripes
The Phillies are one of a few teams to still sport pinstriped uniforms, which they have worn on and off since the 1950s. The new adaptation, with its simple red and white color scheme, is one of the cleanest looks in baseball.
The Phillies wear the home red pinstripes for all home night games other than Thursdays (and now Fridays this season, thanks to the City Connects).
The clean, sharp look with contrasting white and red makes the uniforms look very professional, almost as if the players are wearing suits out on the field. The look is simple but also has enough pop to stand out.
The plain color scheme allows the players to customize the look in various ways, such as adding more red or contrasting with the Phillies' blue or, for someone like Harper, throwing in some Phanatic green to add another color to the palette.
Phillies uniform No. 1: Throwback powder blues
This is the easiest decision of the bunch.
The now iconic Phillies powder blue throwback uniform that the team sports every Thursday home game is collectively respected as one of the top uniforms in MLB. An ode to the then-road uniforms of the 1970s and 1980s, the powder blues are now worn as a home jersey and usually come with aesthetic changes on signage around the ballpark, social media, and players' accessories.
The old-school feel combined with new-school details and craftsmanship make these throwbacks that much better. With a historical organization like the Phillies, the ability to return to its roots and produce such a good product gets the players and fans to buy in even more.
Players are often seen wearing powder blue and maroon gear, adding to the aura. Catcher J.T. Realmuto sports an all-blue catcher's gear set in these games, and players like Bryce Harper and Alec Bohm often trot out with maroon sleeves and protective gear.
The powder blue/baby blue uniform aesthetic is one of the most beautiful in sports. The combination of maroon and the history behind this uniform earns it the top spot on the list of best Phillies uniforms.