Ranking the 10 Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys from worst to first

1 of 11

In 24 short years of existence, the Tampa Bay Rays have underwent 4 logo changes, 1 name change and 3 sets of jersey changes. With every team, there are a few jerseys that should be in every fan's closet, a few that should never see the light of day again and a few that we see so often we don't really have an opinion on. With that being said, let us jump right into the history of Rays jerseys from worst to first. These jerseys will be pulled from the Rays history section of MLB.com which does not include jerseys such as the City Edition or other throwbacks such as the Pelicans.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays v Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Rob Leiter/GettyImages

#10 Alternate Uniform (2005-2007)

The 2005 alternate jerseys were one of the most bland jerseys that Rays ever rolled out. The logo was very small in the upper left portion of the jersey, and the color was nothing to be excited about. The green color was a sort of olive, darker tone that just did not really fit with the look of the team as we know it today. These jerseys were only in commission from 2005-2007 and for good reason. Hopefully these do not make many appearances on throwback games.

Devil Rays v Orioles X Vaughn / Doug Pensinger/GettyImages

#9 Road Uniform (2001-2007)

For the Tampa Bay Rays (Devil Rays at that time), the early 2000s were not a good time when it came to uniforms. In hindsight, the Rays have one of the best logos and current color schemes in all of baseball. A lot of teams today utilize a gray uniform in some capacity and for the most part, they look really good. However, The green and white stripes going down the middle of the jersey near the buttons and also down the pants just throw off the look for me. This also may be a bit of a nitpick, but the font on the front does not do the jersey any justice.

Red Sox v Devil Rays X / Andy Lyons/GettyImages

#8 Home Uniform (2001-2007)

Rounding out the 2001-2007 era of jerseys is the home whites. The all white pants flows nicely with the all white jersey and the ray logo on the sleeve is a nice touch (yes they all have them). At the time it might have fit the mold but the part of this jersey that loses its appeal to me is the font and color of the 'Rays' on the front of the jersey. In my opinion, the logo was so well put together from the inception of the team and the way the jerseys were put together in this time frame is just disappointing. Thankfully, that was an idea of the past and since then, the jerseys have only gotten better.

MLB Photos Archive / Michael Zagaris/GettyImages

#7 Road Uniform (1998-2000)

For a first road jersey in team history, I think the Devil Rays did fairly well with it to start off. A very simple gray scheme with the team's city and their logo going across the chest. I think by today's standards, this jersey might be a little too cluttered but at the time, I think it was a hit. What sets this era of jerseys apart from other Rays jerseys is the color change from blue to yellow in the wording. Again, this may be seen as doing too much but you only get 1 chance to make a first impression and I think this was a

Tampa Bay Rays v Texas Rangers / John Williamson/GettyImages

#6 Road Uniform (2008-Present)

As we start to get to the top half of this list, it is now less about jerseys that do not look good, and more about which jerseys look the best. I think the current road uniforms are very clean, with a subtle thin stripe going from jersey top to pants and gets the job done. The new 'Rays' logo is big and clean on the very front with the long R standing for the waves of Florida and the yellow star being the Florida sun. Overall, very clean looking jersey for when the Rays hit the road.

Jose Canseco #33 / Scott Halleran/GettyImages

#5 Home Uniform (1998-2000)

While I understand the move away from the name Devil Rays to simply the Rays, I do think these are one of the most iconic jerseys in the Rays short history. When people think of a white jersey, they think of a bright, bleached clean shirt and that is exactly what this uniform is. The font plays well into the time frame, the color change from blue/green to yellow is done very well and the ray across the chest acts as an underline in the name. One of the best jerseys from the early history of the Rays

World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Tampa Bay Rays - Game Four / Ronald Martinez/GettyImages

#4 Dark Blue Alternate (2010-Present)

This alternate jersey is done so well that I feel it can be used as an every day home or away jersey (obviously not going to happen). The thin light blue stripes accent the dark blue jersey and make it pop tremendously. The colors make sense with the logos and even though the color of the jersey and the text are extremely similar, they do not clash in the slightest bit. Another reason why this jersey works is because when a team is winning in a certain jersey, it makes it that much more appealing. Overall a great jersey that should surely stick around.

Julio Franco #18 / Vincent Laforet/GettyImages

#3 Alternate Uniform (1999-2000)

The fact this jersey only saw the public's eye for two years is a travesty. Not many teams can pull off a black jersey well, but the 1999 Devil Rays did. As with the other older jersey, the change in colors on the text are done perfectly. The colors that the Rays chose were also somewhat bright and vibrant in nature and putting those colors on the darkest possible color jersey makes them pop even more. If this jersey was done today, I feel that the Rays would also wear black pants and a black hat with them and that would make them the best jersey in all of baseball.

Toronto Blue Jays v Tampa Bay Rays / Douglas P. DeFelice/GettyImages

#2 Light Blue Alternates (2011-Present)

I am a sucker for bright colored jerseys and these might be one of the best jerseys in all of baseball. The light blue is electric and matches perfectly with such an electric team. While the jersey top is in your face with how bright it is, the jersey is subtle at the same time. The pants are just a basic white and although there are two different shades of blue in the text and the jersey, they do not clash at all. The light blue jersey represents everything about the team and the surrounding energy of Florida and it definitely a special treat when these jerseys are brought out.

Cleveland Indians v Tampa Bay Rays / Joseph Garnett Jr./GettyImages

#1 Home Uniform (2008-Present)

Not many teams can perfect an all white jersey quite like the Tampa Bay Rays. No stripes to get in the way, no big flashy logo or design. Just a simple white shirt and pants with a nice basic 'Rays' right across the chest. Something about white jerseys just represents the beauty of baseball. You start of with a clean slate every day, and after going to war for 9 innings you are stained with the dirt and hard work of the game. This is something the Rays demonstrate on a daily basis of just how hard they all work every single game. The clean whites are the Tampa Bay Rays.

Home / Rays History

Ranking the 10 Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys from Worst to First