A baseball jersey is the only one in the store with buttons down the front — and that single detail is what makes its sizing different. There is no stretch at the chest, so the flat measurement is not a guide here, it is the answer. Here is how to read it, with the charts for jerseys and pants.
The short answer
Because the front is buttoned, the flat chest measurement decides the fit. There is nothing to pull open.
- Chest across, buttoned and flat, is the deciding number. A knit jersey gives; a button placket does not.
- Order your true chest size. A baseball jersey should read relaxed, not baggy. If the placket pulls open when buttoned, you are a size small.
- The back hem is longer than the front so the jersey stays put when you move. Measure both before you conclude anything about length.
- Pants are sized on the waist and inseam, and the inseam is the column that actually matters.
Why buttons change how a jersey is sized
Start hereA knitted soccer shirt or football jersey is a closed tube: it stretches a little when you move, and it recovers. A baseball jersey is an open front closed by a placket, and the placket does not stretch. Whatever the flat chest measurement is, that is what you get.
So the sizing question is not “does this feel comfortable when I put it on?” but “does the front lie flat when it is buttoned?” A baseball jersey that gaps between the buttons, or where the placket pulls and puckers, is too small — even if it felt fine going over your head. The cut also runs full through the body and finishes longer at the back than the front, which is what keeps the shirt tucked in place without a fight.
How to measure a button-front jersey
Two minutesButton the jersey up before you measure it. This is the one measurement where the garment has to be closed to give you a number you can trust.
- Chest. Buttoned, laid flat, measured straight across from one underarm seam to the other. Double it. This decides your size.
- Front length. From the shoulder seam down to the front hem.
- Back length. From the center of the collar down to the back hem. Expect this to be longer than the front — that is the cut, not a fault.
- Sleeve. From the shoulder seam along the outside to the sleeve opening.
- Waist and inseam, for pants. Waistband flat and doubled; inseam from the crotch seam down the inside leg.
Men’s MLB jerseys
Chest, buttonedRead across from your chest measurement with the jersey buttoned. If you are on the boundary of two bands and you plan to wear the jersey closed, take the larger size.
| Size | Chest (in) | Chest (cm) | Length (in) | Length (cm) | Sleeve (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 36–38 | 91–97 | 28 | 71 | 17.5 |
| M | 38–41 | 97–104 | 29 | 74 | 18.5 |
| L | 41–44 | 104–112 | 30 | 76 | 19.5 |
| XL | 44–48 | 112–122 | 31 | 79 | 20.5 |
| 2XL | 48–52 | 122–132 | 32 | 81 | 21.5 |
| 3XL | 52–56 | 132–142 | 33 | 84 | 22.5 |
One habit worth dropping: judging a baseball jersey by how it looks open. Worn open, almost any size looks relaxed, which is why so many people end up a size small. Button it, look at the placket, then decide.
Women’s MLB jerseys
Own blockWomen’s baseball jerseys are cut on their own block, with a narrower shoulder and a shorter body than the men’s version of the same letter. The chest band still decides the size, and the same rule about the placket applies exactly as it does above.
| Size | Chest (in) | Chest (cm) | Length (in) | Length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 33–35 | 84–89 | 26.5 | 67 |
| M | 35–37 | 89–94 | 27 | 69 |
| L | 37–40 | 94–102 | 27.5 | 70 |
| XL | 40–43 | 102–109 | 28 | 71 |
| 2XL | 43–46 | 109–117 | 28.5 | 72 |
If you want the traditional long, loose baseball look, the men’s size closest to your chest measurement will get you there more reliably than moving up a size in the women’s cut, which broadens the whole garment rather than lengthening it.
Baseball pants and joggers
Inseam decidesBaseball is the one sport here where the pants are part of the uniform rather than an accessory, and they are sized on two numbers that have nothing to do with your jersey size: the waist and the inseam.
| Size | Waist (in) | Waist (cm) | Hip (in) | Hip (cm) | Inseam (in) | Inseam (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 29–32 | 74–81 | 35–37.5 | 89–95 | 30–31 | 76–79 |
| M | 32–35 | 81–89 | 37.5–41 | 95–104 | 30.5–31.5 | 77–80 |
| L | 35–38 | 89–97 | 41–44 | 104–112 | 31–32 | 79–81 |
| XL | 38–43 | 97–109 | 44–48 | 112–122 | 31.5–32.5 | 80–83 |
| 2XL | 43–47 | 109–119 | 48–52 | 122–132 | 32–33 | 81–84 |
| 3XL | 47–52 | 119–132 | 52–56 | 132–142 | 32–33 | 81–84 |
The waistband is elastic with a drawstring, so it gives you roughly two inches of adjustment. The inseam is the column that decides whether the pants look right, and it is the one people skip. A shorter inseam finishes above the shoe; a longer one breaks over it. Pick the inseam you want and then take the waist band that fits inside it.
Sizing questions we get most
Is a baseball jersey supposed to be baggy?
Relaxed, not baggy. A buttoned baseball jersey should lie flat across the chest with a little room through the body and a hem that reaches the hip. If the placket pulls apart between the buttons when it is closed, the jersey is too small regardless of how it looks worn open.
Do MLB jerseys run different from NFL or NBA?
Yes, in two ways. The cut is full rather than boxy, and because the front is buttoned there is no stretch to absorb a tight chest. On paper a 42-inch chest may be the same letter in all three sports; in practice the baseball jersey is the one where an undersized choice is immediately visible.
Should I take the men’s or the women’s cut?
Match your chest measurement to whichever chart it lands in and pick the shape you want. The women’s cut has a narrower shoulder and a shorter body. If you want length, the men’s cut in your chest size is the better answer than sizing up in the women’s block.
How do I pick the right pants size?
Decide the inseam first — that determines where the hem finishes — and then choose the waist band that fits you inside that. The elastic waistband and drawstring give you about two inches of tolerance, so the inseam is the number worth getting right.
My chest measurement is between two sizes and I want to wear it open. Which one?
Take the smaller one if you will genuinely never button it, and the larger one if you might. Sizing for a closed placket is the safer choice, because a jersey that gapes when buttoned cannot be worn the other way.
Can I return a jersey that does not fit?
Yes — 30 days from delivery, tags attached, unworn. Start from your order confirmation email, and see our Returns & Exchanges page for the rest.
Button up the right size
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The figures above are garment measurements taken flat, not body measurements. Trim, fabric weight and stitch density move slightly between runs, so allow roughly half an inch of tolerance and pick the band your number falls inside.
