The Tampa Bay Rays unveiled their new City Connect uniforms Monday, and the beauteous jerseys prominently feature their old logo and name — the Tampa Bay Devil Rays — which the team eschewed in 2007.
The new colorful kits feature neon blue and green lettering on the jerseys and a bright devil ray on the hat.
Grit x Glow make up the fabric of our DNA 🧬
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 29, 2024
They call the uniforms “Grit x Glow,” and the new digs celebrate “the independent, underground spirit of Tampa Bay, our defiantly bold, bright and vibrant home.”
The Rays have previously worn throwback jerseys paying homage to their old days as the Devil Rays, but this new iteration represents a new chapter in the team’s spotted history.
The team made the decision to switch from their unique and vibrant color scheme and Devil Rays logo to a boring blue and white palette when they chose to adopt the “Rays” moniker in 2007, supposedly modeling their new identity after a ray of sunshine, according to MLB.com.
The team likely made the decision, at least in part, at the behest of scores of fans and advocacy groups who took issue with the Devil portion of Devil Rays. Tampa made the decision after “countless phone calls pleading with the team to change the name,” MLB.com reported. (RELATED: Folks, We’ve Got A Highlight Of The Year Candidate That May Just Knock Your Socks Off)
Now, I’m a God-fearing man. The rampant satanism infecting popular culture, Hollywood in particular, is a serious and pervasive problem. But it doesn’t mean that everything invoking the name devil is automatically demonic. I’m glad Tampa applies some common sense, so we can get a little taste of their former devilish glory.
😮💨👀 pic.twitter.com/F4sZo3IyIQ
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 29, 2024