For the first time in Major League Baseball history, two teams will wear their Nike MLB City Connect uniforms in the same game.
This morning, the Washington Nationals announced they will don their cherry blossom-themed City Connect uniforms when they host the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, May 7 for the first installment of this year’s annual Beltway Series. The Orioles will counter with their all-black City Connect set which had been introduced in 2023.
According to the Nationals, the Baltimore Orioles approached the Nats with the idea. The club spoke with its own clubhouse to ensure there was no issue with the plan, and it also got approval from MLB for good measure.
The Beltway Series will also see Nationals Philanthropies make a charitable donation to Harlem Park Elementary Middle School in West Baltimore, the Orioles’ adopted school. In return, the Orioles will contribute to the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy later this season.
LINK: In-Bloom: Washington Nationals Unveil City Connect Uniform
LINK: Baltimore Orioles Reveal City Connect Uniform with Surprise Inside
The Nationals City Connect uniforms, which debuted in 2022, feature a dark anthracite (you know… grey) background accented with pink and ivory. They are inspired by D.C.’s famed cherry blossoms, which attract tourists each spring to the capital. The Orioles’ City Connect set was inspired by Baltimore’s diverse neighbourhoods and a reflection of the city’s vibrant and inclusive spirit.
Before the 2024 season, the Nationals announced this would be their final year wearing this City Connect design. We’re not yet sure if they will be replacing the uniform in 2025 or not. This season, nine teams are unveiling City Connect uniforms. As of now, three of those teams—Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and the New York Mets—have released theirs. We’re still waiting on Cleveland, Detroit, the LA Dodgers, Minnesota, St. Louis, and Toronto.
This is the first all-City Connect uniform game despite it being the fourth season of the program. Just earlier this week, the Tampa Bay Rays announced that they would also take part in two All-City Connect uniform games later this season against the Atlanta Braves and, later, the St. Louis Cardinals, both games on the road for the Rays.