DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Dunedin Blue Jays are turning last season's weather woes into a fashion statement with a new "rain delay jersey" they will debut on July 18.
The Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays faced 24 weather delays, six postponements, and 10 cancellations during the 2025 season. Rather than lament the lost time, the team decided to commemorate it by putting the Tampa Bay 28 weather radar on a jersey.
General Manager Matt Woak said the idea came out of a brainstorming session and reflects the team's approach to dealing with Florida's unpredictable summer weather.
"We have your classic summer pattern coming through here. Lots of lightning strikes on a Friday at 6 PM," Woak said.
The jersey features a map of Tampa Bay with colorful weather fronts moving across it. Woak said the alternate uniform fits into a broader minor league tradition of creative identities designed to draw fans to the ballpark.
"In minor league baseball, we tend to do a lot of crazy jerseys, alternate identities to get people into the ballpark. This was one of the ones we said, 'You know what? We can't beat the weather, might as well wear it,'" Woak said.
Woak said the 2025 season tested the entire staff.
"We were pulling the tarp three or four times a day. Typically in April and May we don't get as much bad weather. But in 2025, we had so many delayed games, rain delayed games," Woak said.
He said the jersey is also a way for the organization to keep its sense of humor.
"We have to laugh at ourselves every now and then or we're going to go insane here. We're making a joke and a little light here from some of the bad situations we had," Woak said.
The team will auction off the jerseys on July 18.
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