Image via San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres officially dropped their 2026 City Connect jersey today, and this one is a Dia de los Muertos celebration from top to bottom. We have been tracking City Connect leaks and reveals all year, and this Padres uniform is one of the strongest releases of the entire cycle. We are giving it an A.
The Design
The jersey features a dark navy base with "San Diego" across the chest in a stylized wordmark that incorporates sugar skull detailing and traditional Dia de los Muertos patterns. Orange and cream accents run throughout the design, from the lettering to the piping to the sleeve patches. The color palette is rich without being busy, which is not easy to pull off with a cultural theme like this.
Image via San Diego Padres
The hat might be the best part of the entire package. The La Catrina detailing on the cap is sharp, and the way the skull imagery blends into the traditional SD logo gives it something that feels both culturally authentic and wearable for everyday fans. The sleeve patch features a La Catrina figure that ties the whole concept together.
Image via San Diego Padres
What We Think
We love this jersey. The bone-colored pants are a huge win here. So many City Connect programs fall into the trap of going fully monochrome, and the Padres avoided that completely. The contrast between the dark navy jersey and the lighter bone pants gives the full uniform a layered, intentional look. It reads like a real baseball uniform instead of a fashion piece trying too hard.
That two-tone approach is exactly what we want to see more of in the City Connect program. When teams go head-to-toe in one color, it often looks like pajamas. The Padres understood that mixing the colors creates something that feels more like a legitimate alternate you could actually wear on a diamond.
We will be honest here. We are Dodger fans. We do not like the Padres. But credit where credit is due. This is an A-grade uniform. When we first saw the early leaks, we thought it looked good but were not completely sold. Now that the official photos are out with the full uniform, the hat, the pants, and all the details visible, we upgraded our grade. We genuinely do not know what we would change about this one.
The Full Package
Image via San Diego Padres
The Dia de los Muertos theme has deep roots in San Diego culture, and the Padres have already been celebrating it at Petco Park for years. This City Connect feels like a natural extension of that connection rather than a forced concept, and that authenticity is what separates the best City Connects from the forgettable ones.
For a look at how the Padres stack up against every other team this year, check out our Full 2026 City Connect Rankings.