Detroit Tigers among nine MLB teams to get Nike City Connect jerseys in 2024

The Old English D has been a staple of the Detroit Tigers home uniforms since 1904, only a decade after the team was founded. A few jersey deviations have been used over the years — including a cartoon Tiger in the 1920s that's either adorable or horrifying, depending on your persuasion, and a striped pullover in the '70s and '80s — but that 'D' has always remained in some capacity. The team has never strayed too far from the club's roots.

In the 21st century, the Tigers settled on a home and away jersey with only minor design changes and no alternate uniforms. Tradition and a respect for history can be good sometimes, but so can innovation and novelty.

This year, the Tigers are making their first foray in almost two decades into the latter. Nine teams including the Tigers will be getting Nike City Connect jerseys, to be released between Opening Day and the All-Star break.

Detroit Tigers among nine MLB teams to get Nike City Connect jerseys in 2024

The Guardians and Twins will also get new jerseys, rounding out the AL Central after the White Sox were among the first teams to get City Connects in 2021 and the Royals got them in 2022. The Dodgers will also be getting a second version after their first flatlined in 2021.

The City Connect series has netted a wide range of reactions from fanbases, and it's hard to find one that's been either entirely loved or entirely hated across the board. A photo of the potential Phillies jersey was leaked in late January and has been met with some amount of revulsion, but reactions have been subjective and varied for pretty much every iteration.

Hopefully, Nike will do right by the Tigers this year. Will the Old English D be retained, or will they forgo it in place of something new? Will they bring back the maybe-adorable maybe-scary cartoon Tiger? We can only hope.