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Founded in 1876, Major League Baseball has nearly 150 of history — and with that comes a ton of logos. While a handful of teams have only been around for a few decades, others have been playing ball for over a century. Some logos had to be left out due to there not being enough space to fit 20+ images…but the main logos still made the cut. How has your franchise evolved over the years?
Colorado Rockies
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While I am a fan of Colorado’s color scheme, I’m not loving its current primary logo. There is nothing wrong with the interlocking ‘C’ and ‘R’, but it is a bit dull compared to the rest of the league. The Rockies promoted the ‘CR’ to their primary logo in 2017. Their original logo — featuring a purple mountain range — was a much stronger look. Colorado has been due for an updated look for quite some time.
Washington Nationals
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Unlike Colorado, Washington’s current primary logo is a vast improvement from its previous look. The curly ‘W’ is a solid option. The color scheme is fitting for the city, as well. However, I can’t help but feel like the Nationals can do a lot more with their brand. I mean, just look at the logos that Montreal had — they were far superior. The franchise has made some alterations to its uniforms ahead of the 2024 season, but the logo remained untouched. I wouldn’t mind seeing a splash of cherry blossom added to it…
Cleveland Guardians
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Cleveland ditched its ‘Indians’ moniker following the 2021 season and rebranded as the Guardians. Unveiled in 2022, Cleveland’s logo features a pair of wings that are a nod to the Guardians of Traffic statues that reside in the city. The color scheme is fine, and I am a fan of the shape of the ‘G’. I can’t help but think of Minor League baseball when looking at the logo (some Minor League logos are fantastic). I wouldn’t be shocked to see the franchise introduce a new logo within the next five years.
Tampa Bay Rays
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The Rays are one of the few teams that feature their primary logo on their uniform. The ‘Rays’ wordmark across Tampa’s uniform is okay. However, it is a huge step down from the OG Devil Rays logo. Fans have been asking for the Devil Ray to return for years — and I couldn’t agree more. A revamped version of that logo with updated colors/style would be a huge plus for Tampa.
San Francisco Giants
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When one thinks of the San Francisco Giants logo, the first image that comes to mind is the orange ‘SF’ that dons the hat. That logo is one of the best in the league — as are the uniforms overall. However, San Francisco’s primary logo has consisted of a baseball with the ‘Giants’ wordmark across it since the 1940s. The first four logos seen above date back to the franchise’s time spent in New York.
Los Angeles Angels
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The current logo is boring. The Angels have featured some great logos and uniforms throughout their history. When the franchise was known as the California Angels they had an absolute fire look. Now, the team’s primary logo is the ‘A’ featured on their hat. The halo at the top of the ‘A’ is the only thing that evokes the thought of an angel. It is a fine look and it has become synonymous with the franchise, but there is a ton of room for improvement.
Texas Rangers
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The reigning World Series champs are entering 2024 feeling pretty good about themselves. The Rangers have one of the most talented lineups in baseball, they are playing in a stadium that’s been open for a few years, and they have one of the newer sets of uniforms in the game. When it comes to their primary logo, however, there is not much excitement. To be fair, the current logo may be the best one the franchise has had since its Texas-debut in 1972. The color scheme resembles the state flag, and the red ‘T’ is strong. With that being said, there is nothing special about the logo.
Cincinnati Reds
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Cincinnati has not had a contending baseball team in a long time, but the franchise remains one of the most historic brands in the league. The Reds date back to 1890 and they have had 18 primary logos since that year. My favorite logo is the one featuring Mr. Redlegs (1953-1967). A variation of the current logo has been used since 1993. The franchise has updated the shade of red twice and has added some black to the look. I like the logo, but I think it is better without the black accents.
San Diego Padres
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Props to the Padres for bringing back the brown and yellow color scheme. The franchise donned those two colors upon its debut in 1969 and kept it in place until 1984. In ’85, the team swapped the yellow for orange. In 1991, blue replaced brown — a move that didn’t sit well with a lot of fans. In 2004, the team ditched orange, as well. The interlocking ‘SD’ became the primary logo in 2015, but the current look was established in 2020 when the franchise reintroduced the favored brown/yellow color scheme.
Boston Red Sox
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Red socks for the Red Sox. There is no mistaking who this logo belongs to. Boston’s hat is one of the most recognizable looks in the world, but the classic ‘B’ has never been the franchise’s primary logo. The current look has been in place since 2009. Before that, the Red Sox had a logo that I prefer. A circular emblem surrounded a pair of red sox on a baseball. Wordmarks of ‘Boston’ and ‘Red Sox’ also fell within the outer circle. It was a strong look and one that had a bit more to it than the current option.
New York Mets
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The Mets have utilized roughly the same primary logo since they became a franchise in 1962. Very slight changes have been made over the years. ‘Mets’ colored in orange is prominent over a white bridge. In the background, the New York skyline is colored blue. A good logo, just not among the best.
Miami Marlins
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Miami is another franchise that needs to return to the past. When known as the Florida Marlins, the team featured a classic logo that accompanied the team along two World Series triumphs. When the team rebranded as the Miami Marlins in 2012, it introduced one of the worst logos in MLB history. Thankfully, the current logo is much better than the two ‘M’ options. The leaping marlin is a winner, and I particularly like the use of laces to complete the logo.
Detroit Tigers
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Detroit hasn’t included a tiger in its primary logo since 2005. I was a huge fan of that logo — a tiger walking through the classic Olde English ‘D’. The current ‘D’ was made the primary logo in 2016. Accompanying the move, the franchise opted to use the same ‘D’ on both its uniform and hat — marking the first time the Tigers had a consistent look across their entire uniform for the first time in nearly 100 years. Also, a special shoutout to the 1927/28 logo — you are likely the cause of some nightmares.
Oakland Athletics
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The Athletics are a franchise that has called a few cities home. Before moving to Oakland, the A’s played in both Philadelphia and Kansas City. The team had numerous logos while in Philadelphia, and the final one (top middle) was brought over to KC. The franchise ditched red in favor of green upon moving to Oakland and has stuck with the scheme ever since. Will a change be made when the team moves to Las Vegas?
Houston Astros
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Houston has been one of the best teams in baseball for nearly a decade. As a result, we have all seen its primary logo more time than we can count. Houston introduced the logo in 2013 and it is hard to imagine it leaving any time soon. The orange is striking, but the strongest feature of the logo is the star. The white ‘H’ pairs well with the star and gives Houston a very good logo.
Atlanta Braves
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Atlanta’s logo remains a talking point in 2024 as calls for its removal continue to arise. A version of Atlanta’s current look has been in place since 1987. The primary logo features ‘Braves’ in red script outlined in navy — the white outline is an alternate look — and a Native American style tomahawk in red, blue, and yellow. The team has changed the shades of the colors over time, but the general look has remained since ’87.
Arizona Diamondbacks
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The Diamondbacks introduced a new primary logo ahead of the 2024 season. The ‘A’ seen on the bottom of the image now features Sonoran Teal diamondback patterning instead of the Sonoran Sand color of years past. I enjoy the subtle snake head which is formed within the negative space of the ‘A’. While I would support a return to the original purple/teal color scheme that the franchise utilized in its early years, this is not a bad look.
Pittsburgh Pirates
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Would you believe me if I told you that Pittsburgh has only utilized its classic gold ‘P’ logo as its primary look since 2014? From 1934 to 2013, the franchise had a primary logo that featured some version of a pirate. My favorite look is the one that was featured from 1997-2013 — a pirate donning a red bandana with two bats and a bold ‘Pirates’ wordmark. The current ‘P’ is a classic look, but I can’t help but want the pirate to be involved once again.
Minnesota Twins
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Minnesota’s primary logo has evolved quite a bit over the years. The first two logos upon moving to Minnesota featured two twins, Minnie and Paul, shaking hands over the Mississippi River and a silhouette over the state of Minnesota. From 1987-2009, wordmarks for ‘Minnesota’ and ‘Twins’ overlayed a baseball. The logo was modified to include a navy ring and ‘Baseball Club’ in 2010. Since 2022, the franchise has used the logo seen on its primary cap. A ‘T’ is interlocked with a ‘C’ to represent the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul). In my eyes, this is the best logo the Twins have used since moving to Minnesota.
Kansas City Royals
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A team named the ‘Royals’ has to have some nod to royalty in its logo. For more than 30 years, Kansas City’s primary logo featured a large ‘R’ and small ‘KC’ within a blue shield — with the first five primary logos also featuring the gold crown and script ‘Royals’ underneath the shield. The franchise introduced its new primary logo in 2019. The ‘Royals’ script was removed but not much else changed. This is a very solid logo.
Chicago Cubs
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Chicago introduced its primary logo in 1979 and it will likely remain in place for many years to come. The logo is rather simple — a large red ‘C’ with ‘UBS’ inside placed inside of a royal blue circle. Paired with the home uniform, the logo is truly a gem. I am also a fan of the 1908/10 logo, as well as the 1916 look — as for the 1941/45…good riddance.
Philadelphia Phillies
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I’m a sucker for the Liberty Bell logo. Philadelphia’s primary logo was unveiled in 2019. I prefer the maroon ‘P’ from the 1980s, but this is an absolute winner. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the franchise incorporate this logo into a City Connect uniform in the near future.
Chicago White Sox
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The Southsiders have used 19 primary logos throughout their history, with a handful being terrible and a few being great (1912-1917, ’76-81). The current primary has been in place since 1991. ‘Sox’ calligraphed in black on a slant with white and silver outlines — the logo on the hat is different for obvious reasons — just works. It looks great on the uniform, awesome on the hat, and is very unique.
Seattle Mariners
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I am all about Seattle’s logo. The trident logo from the 1980s is awesome, but the current logo has grown on me over time. The primary has been in use since 1993. It features a nautical-rose colored silver and teal on a white baseball with red stitching. The surrounding blue and white circle is enhanced by the green and silver trim. The LA Clippers recently unveiled a new logo featuring a compass, but there is no doubt which franchise reigns supreme.
Baltimore Orioles
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Baltimore has had some awesome logos over the years. The primary logo used from 1966-1991 is one of the greatest in MLB history. From 1995-2008, Baltimore’s logo incorporated a baseball diamond, ‘Orioles’ script, and a more realistic bird — it was also a winner. Since 2019, the O’s have featured a great look. The cartoon oriole head in black and orange is wearing one of the Orioles’ alternate caps. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Toronto Blue Jays
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In my opinion, the Blue Jays have had a very good collection of primary logos throughout their history. Toronto’s previous logo, from 2012-2019, is arguably better than the current look — but I still love this one. A two-toned blue profile of a blue jay bird head with a red maple leaf symbolizing Canada — near perfection. The only miss in franchise history remains the awful logo that was used from 2004-2011 when the team opted to incorporate black and silver into their look.
Milwaukee Brewers
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Milwaukee’s logo from 1978-1993 remains the best in franchise history (and MLB history), but the current look is also very strong. Both an ‘M’ and a ‘B’ are utilized to form the shape of a baseball glove. The ball in the middle of the glove is the chef’s kiss. If Milwaukee reverted to the color scheme from the glory days, its logo could be the best in baseball.
Los Angeles Dodgers
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The Dodgers are a global brand, but their primary logo is not as well-known as the classic ‘LA’ that dons their caps. The current primary logo has been Los Angeles’ primary look since it moved to the city in 1958 — and was used by the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1945-1957. The incredible design features ‘Dodgers’ scripted in blue across a red baseball soaring high into the sky. Truly a work of art.
New York Yankees
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Surprisingly, New York’s iconic ‘NY’ logo hasn’t been its primary logo since 1946. Instead, the Yankees have utilized two versions of the current logo. The current rendition has been in place since 1968. ‘Yankees’ in red script goes through a baseball — with the true star of the show being Uncle Sam’s Hat sitting on the bat that represents the ‘K’ in Yankees. This logo isn’t incorporated into New York’s visual appearance enough. It is fantastic.
St. Louis Cardinals
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The best logo in baseball belongs to the St. Louis Cardinals. The red ‘Cardinals’ script is smooth. The yellow bat tucking into the top of the ‘C’ is sublime. The cardinal perched atop the bat? Majestic. I have zero complaints regarding this logo.
