Players' Weekend is returning to Major League Baseball this summer, albeit without special uniforms and nicknames on jerseys. On Thursday, MLB announced a reimagined version of Players' Weekend that will "provide a platform to celebrate MLB players' interests, backstories, and the charitable causes that are important to them."
Scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 16-18, different aspects of players' lives will be highlighted each day with special content at games, on broadcasts, and on social media. Here is the schedule:
- FUN (Friday, Aug. 16): Fun aspects of players' personalities, friendships, and off-field interests will be featured.
- CAUSES (Saturday, Aug. 17): Focus will be on charitable and community initiatives that are important to players.
- APPRECIATION (Sunday, Aug. 18): Players will celebrate the people who helped them on their path to the Major Leagues.
Rather than special uniforms and nicknames, players will wear caps with their uniform number displayed on the side and in a "youthful design," and they will be allowed to use customized bats.
There are two nationally televised games on the schedule this Players' Weekend: Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday (FOX) and the Little League Classic between the Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees in Williamsport, Penn., on Sunday (ESPN Sunday Night Baseball).
The original Players' Weekend ran from 2017-19. It was put on hold in 2020 because of the pandemic and remained on hiatus from 2021-23.
