The Atlanta Braves, a team steeped in baseball history, are stepping onto the field in 2024 with subtle yet noticeable alterations to their iconic uniforms. Thanks to the new Nike template sweeping across Major League Baseball, fans anticipated minor tweaks to the Braves’ home and away jerseys. However, the changes extend beyond the expected, introducing a revised navy alternate jersey and a significant change to their pants.
As pitchers and catchers geared up for Spring Training, a modified navy Atlanta Braves jersey emerged, signaling an evolution in their away alternate uniform. This reveal confirms that Spring Training jerseys, with a few exceptions for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers, are now considered regular season jerseys, as highlighted by Chris Creamer of SportsLogos.Net. Let’s delve into the specifics of these uniform updates.
A Closer Look at the 2024 Navy Alternate Jersey
The most apparent change lies in the Braves’ navy alternate jersey. While the alterations are subtle, they bring a distinct visual difference.
From 2008 to 2018, the navy alternate was characterized by its all-navy base, accented with white outlines for the “Braves” script, player numbers, and last names.
Ozzie Albies pictured in the Atlanta Braves navy alternate jersey worn between 2008 and 2018, showcasing the white piping.
In 2019, the Braves refreshed the navy uniform, injecting a bolder look with a red script replacing the navy, and the addition of silver piping along the placket and sleeves. This design remained the team’s navy alternate until the end of last season.
Ronald Acuna Jr. pictured in the Atlanta Braves navy alternate jersey from 2019-2023, notable for its red script and silver piping details.
For the 2024 season, the Braves appear to have revisited their design, streamlining the navy alternate once more. The key modification? The silver piping has been replaced with red piping, creating a more unified color scheme with the red script and team branding. This subtle shift provides a refreshed aesthetic while maintaining the core elements of the navy alternate.
Atlanta Braves pitcher Jake Walsh debuts the 2024 navy alternate jersey, highlighting the updated red piping detail.
Spring Training Jerseys Evolve into Regular Season Wear
Initially, the new navy jersey might be mistaken for a Spring Training exclusive. Historically, the Braves have utilized a navy jersey with the “Braves” script for Spring Training, closely resembling the 2008-2018 navy alternate.
Jared Shuster wearing a Spring Training jersey, illustrating the prior design similarities to older navy alternate uniforms.
However, a shift in MLB and Nike’s approach means Spring Training jerseys are now integrated into the regular season uniform rotation. As reported by Uni-Watch’s Paul Lukas, teams are now limited to a set number of jerseys, encompassing both regular season and Spring Training designs. This change led to the St. Louis Cardinals discontinuing their red Spring Training jerseys, despite them never being worn in regular season games. Chris Creamer’s tweet from SportsLogos.net further clarifies that Spring Training jerseys, with the noted exceptions, are effectively regular season jerseys.
This update means the Braves are utilizing their navy alternate jersey, alongside their home whites, away grays, and red Friday jerseys, filling their quota of four traditional jerseys, in addition to their City Connect uniform.
Pant Piping Disappears: A Break from Tradition
Beyond the jersey modifications, the 2024 Braves uniforms introduce a noteworthy change in pants design. For decades, tracing back to the Boston Braves era, the team’s pants have featured piping along the belt loops – a distinctive and classic detail.
Historical image of Warren Spahn, highlighting the traditional pant piping detail on older Braves uniforms.
Milwaukee Braves uniform detail featuring John Robert, clearly showing the belt loop pant piping.
A.J. Minter pictured in a recent season, illustrating the continuation of pant piping on Atlanta Braves uniforms until 2023.
However, in what appears to be a move towards streamlining, Nike has eliminated this long-standing feature. The 2024 Braves pants will no longer include belt loop piping, a change confirmed by Uni-Watch, marking the end of a unique uniform element.
Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias showcasing the 2024 uniform pants, now without the traditional belt loop piping.
While the changes for the Atlanta Braves uniforms in 2024 are not drastic overhauls, they represent notable shifts for fans and uniform enthusiasts. The red piping on the navy alternate jersey and the removal of pant piping offer a slightly different on-field look for the team as they head into the new season. These modifications, driven by Nike’s new template and a broader MLB uniform strategy, will undoubtedly be a point of discussion as the Braves take the field.
