Red Sox defect to old MLB uniforms for Patriots Day, Jackie Robinson Day perfect storm

The Boston Red Sox played a rare morning game on April 15 to celebrate Marathon Monday and Patriots Day, a federally recognized holiday in Massachusetts. The holiday, which takes place on the third Monday of April every year, has become a fixture for Boston sports.

This year, Patriots Day happened to coincide with Jackie Robinson Day, a league-wide holiday that honors the baseball legend.

The holiday, which has been observed since 1894 to commemorate the definitive Lexington and Concord Battle in the American Revolutionary War, has been honored by the Boston Red Sox since 1903. The Red Sox have always played Patriots Day games at Fenway Park since 1959, and the game has been played in the morning since 1968.

In this year's game versus the Cleveland Guardians, Boston asked former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to throw out the first pitch. Gronkowski appeared before the crowd and offered his trademark spike as the first pitch. Unfortunately, no amount of pomp could protect the Red Sox from a dismal 0-6 loss — nor was the team protected from speculation surrounding their holiday uniforms.

Red Sox wear old uniforms amid new uniform issues

For their Patriots Day game, the Red Sox opted to wear an older version of their Nike uniforms for their Patriots Day game. The newer uniforms have faced immense scrutiny since their debut this spring. The uniforms, which were designed by Nike and Manufactured by Fanatics, made their debut four years after Major League Baseball entered into a 10-year, $1 billion deal with the two companies in 2020.

The Red Sox opted to wear the 2013 version of their uniform in honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing. The uniforms can be distinguished by the "Boston" lettering on the front of the jersey as well as a few other details.

Some fans have speculated that Boston may have worn the old uniforms due to recent supply chain issues with the newer uniforms, while others believe that players may be wearing older uniforms as a silent protest against the new uniforms.

The issues surrounding the league-wide change in uniforms have drawn the ire of players and fans alike. Along with being transparent, players have cited poor fabric quality, small lettering, inconsistent sizing, and sweat stains as main concerns with the 2024 uniforms. During a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene's pants ripped at the seam of his right leg after a standard slide into home plate.

Either way, the older uniforms didn't seem to help the Red Sox during their embarrassing 6-0 loss against the Cleveland Guardians. Boston is currently in a three-way tie for last place in the American League East with a 9-8 record.

The Sox are 71-55 (.563) all-time on Patriots Day, with 26 doubleheaders played between 1903-66.