Scott Kingery and the Phillies tried helmets with a lifted logo at the beginning of the 2018 season. (Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire)
The Philadelphia Phillies arrived in Chicago Monday with a slight aesthetic change.
It may have been easy to overlook during what turned into a wild, extra-innings win over the Cubs, but if you noticed something different about the Phillies batting helmets Monday evening, you weren’t seeing things. For a second time, the Phillies are trying to make 3D helmet logos work:
The 3D helmets, which the Phillies experimented with at the beginning of the 2018 season, are back for everyone, it would appear. @UniWatch @PhilHecken pic.twitter.com/LK2QnZ87na
— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) May 21, 2019
You may remember that the Phillies had 3D helmet logos at the outset of the 2018 season, rather than the traditional sticker logo. But after a few mishaps in the early weeks of the season, the Phillies eventually ditched the 3D logo on their red helmets, which are worn for a majority of home games and all road games:
It would appear that the computers didn't do a very good job of putting together Nick Williams' helmet. pic.twitter.com/MECPWRKozm
— Tim Kelly (@TimKellySports) April 10, 2018
It’s Odubel Herrera, without a logo on his helmet. pic.twitter.com/0TPEZwd4Vr
— BobCrossingBroad (@BWCrossingBroad) April 15, 2018
Phillies had been using 3D helmet logo this season (left). But after several mishaps with the logos coming loose, they've reverted to using a standard flat decal. pic.twitter.com/ZfKlmY7GjQ
— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) May 1, 2018
As some have pointed out, the Phillies never stopped using the 3D logo on the blue and red helmets that they wear with their cream alternate jerseys. These helmets – which were introduced in 2009, a year after the Phillies began wearing the jerseys – are used for home day games, except on Thursdays:
Why it is that the Phillies had more luck with the 3D logos on their alternate helmets is unclear. It’s also unclear why, going on two months in the 2019 season, the Phillies have suddenly reintroduced the 3D logos on their red helmets.
As part of their #ThrowbackThursday promotion, the Phillies wear their powder blue jerseys and maroon helmets on Thursday games at Citizens Bank Park. Though some baseball historians are bothered by the Phillies wearing the powder blue jerseys – which were road jerseys in the late 1970s and 1980s, when they were a primary jersey – for home games, the promotion has been wildly popular. The Phillies haven’t ever tried a 3D logo with their maroon helmets, though. As recently as last Thursday, there wasn’t a 3D logo on the Phillies maroon helmets:
Elsewhere in Phillies uniform news, J.T. Realmuto debuted new grey catcher’s equipment to go with the Phillies road jersey Monday evening.
Ahead of the 2019 season, the Phillies made minor tweaks to the lettering on their jerseys, which you can read about here.
