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Inside The Mariners

Where Mariners Rank Among MLB City Connect Uniforms After 2026 Launches

The latest City Connect wave only made the Mariners’ case stronger.
Tremayne Person|
Julio Rodriguez (44) runs towards first base after hitting a 2-RBI double against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at T-Mobile Park.
Julio Rodriguez (44) runs towards first base after hitting a 2-RBI double against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Seattle Mariners

The 2026 City Connect wave cleared something up in a hurry. The Mariners are still wearing one of the few uniforms in this whole experiment that actually knows what it wants to be. MLB dropped eight more looks on Thursday, April 9, with new versions from the Braves, Brewers, Padres, Pirates, Rangers, Reds, Royals, and Orioles, so the board feels even more crowded now and the comparisons are only getting louder.

This is obviously an opinion piece, and uniform rankings are always going to come with arguments attached. Everybody sees this stuff a little differently. But when I stack the Mariners against the full City Connect field, Seattle’s still feels thoughtful instead of forced. It feels rooted. The Pilots-inspired lettering, the PNW sleeve patch, Sodo Mojo inside the collar, and My Oh My stitched above the jock tag all give it a real connection to the city, the region, and the franchise. That is a lot of history and identity built into one uniform, and it still lands better than a lot of teams trying much harder to be noticed.

Before getting to where the Mariners land, it helps to clear out the rest of the board first.

2026 MLB City Connect Releases Make Mariners’ Uniform Ranking Even Clearer

What Happened Here?

Giants, Rangers, Dodgers, Rockies, Nationals, Royals

This is the group where the execution got weird or the whole thing just never came together the way it should have. It is also where I have to admit the Nationals moving away from the cherry blossoms still feels like a miss. And yes, it is hard not to stare directly at Texas here.

The Rangers somehow managed to deliver a follow-up that feels even worse than the first one, which is honestly impressive in a dark way. The concept itself is strong. Celebrating the Mexican influence woven throughout Texas culture should have been a layup. The problem is the uniform just does not hit with enough life. It feels flatter than the idea deserved.

The Royals landed here too, and that is mostly because the original version had more boldness to it. The new set leans into the city’s fountains, heartland identity, and even slips in a hidden Beatles nod. There is thought behind it. It just does not have the same juice. It feels like one of those redesigns that gets cleaner and somehow less fun at the same time.

Perfectly Fine:

Twins, Cardinals, Phillies, Mets, Guardians, Angels, Cubs, Reds, Pirates

This is the land of uniforms that are not bad enough to really roast and not memorable enough to passionately defend. They are here. They exist. 

That is almost worse than being a mess, honestly. At least the chaotic ones leave a scar. These mostly leave no pulse. The Reds’ new City Connects fit here perfectly. They are not offensive. They are just very red and not a whole lot else. The Pirates land in this group too. There is nothing disastrously wrong with them, but there is not much pulling them out of the middle either.

Just Outside The Real Heavyweights:

Diamondbacks, Red Sox, Tigers

This is a good place to land, even if it is not the top shelf. These are the uniforms that came close. They have some identity, some really cool concepts, and enough of a point of view to stick in your head. They just do not quite break into the group that feels undeniable.

Top 10 MLB City Connect Uniforms After 2026 Launches

10. Brewers

Milwaukee’s new look earns points because the whole reveal actually sold the idea. MLB’s feature on the launch leaned into how the Brewers represent the entire state of Wisconsin, not just the city, and that statewide angle gave the uniform more heart. The unveiling video helped too. It had that homegrown, goosebumps kind of feel that makes a jersey launch feel like more than a merch drop. 

9. Marlins

Miami still deserves credit for understanding that City Connect is supposed to have some personality. The Marlins didn’t play it safe, and that matters in a field where too many teams panic and start designing for approval instead of identity. Their look still has enough life to hold up.

8. Astros

Houston’s City Connects still work because they know exactly what they are. The look feels unmistakably Houston while staying clean and controlled, which is not always easy in this project. And yes, it is irritating to say that about a rival, but they nailed it. You may not personally love them, but they leave an impression, and that counts for a lot here.

7. Orioles

Baltimore’s new 2026 City Connects brought a lot more local texture to the party, and that is a big reason they work. Instead of leaning on the all-black neighborhood concept from the original set, this version turns into more of a love letter to Camden Yards, from the cream base and wall-green accents to the brickwork trim, BMORE wordmark, and little touches like the 410 and Charm City references. It feels specific, thoughtful, and tied to a place people actually care about.

6. Braves

The Braves’ new release deserves real credit for the concept and the nostalgia baked into it. There is an old-school broadcast-era warmth to the whole thing that makes it feel connected to generations of Atlanta baseball instead of just the current moment.

5. Mariners

The Mariners have an argument to be even higher depending on what you value.

Their City Connects still feel complete. That is the word that keeps coming back. The black kit, the trident cap, the Pilots nod, the PNW patch, the Steelheads and Rainiers references, the “Sodo Mojo” and “My Oh My” details. It all feels layered without getting cluttered. It feels like Seattle. More importantly, it feels like the Mariners understood that a City Connect should actually connect to something.  And after this latest round of releases, that restraint looks even better. 

4. Blue Jays

Toronto’s look still plays because it is slick, distinct, and polished without feeling empty. There is a cool factor here that some teams chase and never find. The Blue Jays found it. Clean can still be dangerous when the design has enough confidence.

3. White Sox

The White Sox still have one of the best City Connects in the sport, and the Bulls collaboration only made that even easier to argue. The black-and-red look has real Chicago swagger, and it carries itself with the kind of confidence most teams can only imitate. This is the City Connect equivalent of the Bulls in the Jordan era. 

2. Padres

San Diego’s new 2026 City Connects are one of the rare jersey reveals that actually had emotional weight to them. The Día de los Muertos influence, the La Catrina patch, and the design’s connection to the city’s bi-national culture. On top of that, the reveal itself leaned into remembrance, including a tribute setup honoring franchise icons like Tony Gwynn and Peter Seidler. That is how you make a uniform feel like it means something. 

1. Rays

The Rays still sit at the top because their City Connects do not hesitate. The whole Grit and Glow concept is weird in exactly the right way, leaning into Tampa Bay’s skate culture, independent streak, and that sun-faded Devil Rays energy without blinking. It is unmistakable, fully committed, and packed with just enough local chaos to feel alive.

That is the standard.

And it is also why the Mariners should feel pretty good about where they land in all of this. Seattle may not have the loudest City Connect in baseball, but after the 2026 launches, that honestly feels like a compliment. Too many teams are still trying to prove they have a personality. The Mariners already showed theirs.

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Tremayne Person
TREMAYNE PERSON

Tremayne Person is the Publisher for Mariners On SI and the Site Expert at Friars on Base, with additional bylines across FanSided’s MLB division. He founded the Keep It Electric podcast in 2023 and covers baseball with a blend of analysis, context, and a little well-timed side-eye just to keep things honest. Tremayne grew up a Mariners fan in Richmond, Va., and that passion ultimately led him to move to Seattle to cover the team closely and become a regular at home games. Through his writing, he connects with fans who want a deeper, more personal understanding of the game. When he’s not at T-Mobile Park, he’s with his dog, gaming, or finding the next storyline worth digging into.

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