It’s a new dawn for the Tampa Bay Rays.
On Monday, Sept. 21, the Rays revealed new road uniforms that bridge the past with the present.
The Rays are bringing back their road grays after shelving them in 2022 and are putting “Tampa Bay” and the ray logo back on the front of a primary jersey for the first time since 2007. That year was when the franchise rebranded and dropped “Devil” from their team name. There’s a blue to yellow ombré that brings a sunshine feel to the uniform and pays further tribute to their history.
Team representatives said they want to be intentional about representing the Florida city they’ve called home since joining the MLB in 1998. The Rays came under new ownership last summer when a group led by Patrick Zalupski bought the team from Stuart Sternberg for a reported $1.7 billion. There has been an emphasis on commitment to Tampa Bay, including plans for a new stadium in the city.
“These uniforms celebrate our long-term commitment to Tampa Bay,” Ken Babby, Rays Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “As our team travels the country, we do so with tremendous admiration for our home. Tampa Bay is always in our hearts and that’s why we will wear it across our chest.”
Elsewhere in the league, the Athletics received criticism for leaving Oakland and are in the process of moving to Las Vegas.
In March, the Rays asked fans for input on what they hope for in new uniforms and they listened to the feedback.
“We are particularly proud that our fans helped choose this design, and we love the fact they want the baseball world to see ‘Tampa Bay’ when we play on the road,” Babby continued.
The road grays replace the Rays’ current road uniforms, which are a navy jersey with “Rays” on the front.
Besides on the jerseys, the ombré, which harkens back to the Devil Rays days, also appears on “TB,” which originated in 1998, on the team’s hats and batting helmets. The original black backdrop is swapped for the team’s current navy base.
The Rays will debut the uniform on Tuesday, Sept. 22 during the second game of a double header against the New York Yankees.
The news comes weeks after Tampa Bay became the first team in the MLB to clinch a playoff spot this year. They did so with a walk-off home run from Junior Caminero to beat the Houston Astros. The Rays currently lead the American League with a 95-60 record.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tampa Bay Rays bring back city name, gray jerseys for road uniforms
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