After a five-year hiatus, MLB is bringing back its Players Weekend in August. The player-oriented showcase will take place fromS Aug. 16-18, according to the league’s official announcement.
Unfortunately for fans and media, the most popular feature of the occasion’s three-year run from 2017-19 won’t be coming back.
Players’ nicknames will not be on the backs of the special jerseys this time around, taking away a nice bit of fun from a weekend intended to let the athletes show their personalities and camaraderie among teammates.
Not all of the nicknames were gems. For example, Nick Castellanos, then with the Detroit Tigers, simply had “Nick” on the back of his jersey.
Yet many others embraced the opportunity to have some fun. Reliever Ken Giles had “100 Miles Giles” on his nameplate when he pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays. Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber chose “Not Justin” for his nickname, while Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Walker Buehler wore “Ferris” on his back.
Here are some more entertaining choices from 2018 highlighted by the Yahoo Sports staff. In some cases, the stories behind the nicknames, several of which were poignant, were better than the monikers themselves.
(Is it possible that MLB is avoiding nicknames on the back because they might draw more attention to the smaller nameplates that have been a complaint of new uniforms since spring training? We’re just asking questions!)
However, players will still get to stand out beyond their stats on Players Weekend. The first day of the three-day celebration will highlight personalities, friendships and off-field interests, according to MLB. Day 2 will feature their favorite charitable and community initiatives. And the third day of the weekend will give players an opportunity to celebrate those who helped them achieve their major league dreams.
Additionally, players can use customized bats during the games and wear cleats with personalized designs. And their caps will feature their uniform numbers in a “youthful design.”
National telecasts on Players Weekend will be the Aug. 17 matchup between the Dodgers and St. Louis Caridnals on Fox and ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball will feature the Tigers and New York Yankees from Williamsport, Pennsylvania in the Little League Classic on Aug. 18.
