Why the Phillies don’t have their cream and powder blue uniforms yet

The Phillies took the field on Saturday and Sunday wearing red pinstriped uniforms. A less attentive fan might not have noticed anything unusual, but diehards were quick to note that the Phillies’ cream uniforms — which are typically worn on Saturday and Sunday day games — were missing.

It wasn’t a last-minute wardrobe change, like George Costanza pushing for cotton instead of polyester. MLB.com reported on Saturday that both the cream and powder blue Phillies uniforms were delayed. Phillies executive vice president Dave Buck said on Monday that he doesn’t know when the team will receive them.

When reached by phone on Monday, a Fanatics spokesperson said that the company custom fits and tailors uniforms for all 2,200 players, coaches and minor leaguers, and can’t start that process until fittings are taken in spring training. Because of the lockout, Fanatics had to wait until players reported to camp to get up-to-date measurements. Their manufacturing time was cut in half, from six weeks to three, due to the shortened spring training.

The company says that this was the reason for the delay, and that this was communicated to the clubs — which Buck confirmed on Monday. Fanatics prioritized making home and road uniforms first, and decided to make alternate uniforms (like cream and powder blue) after the home and road uniforms were taken care of.

The next opportunity for the Phillies to wear an alternate uniform would be on Wednesday, a midweek day game against the visiting Mets. Fanatics likely won’t have the uniforms done by then, but the company says that they’ll be in Citizens Bank Park soon. The cream uniforms are expected to arrive in a few weeks.

Outfielder Símon Muzziotti has been informed that he’ll get a start in this series against the Mets. .. .Left-handed pitcher JoJo Romero, who is on the 60-day injured list after undergoing Tommy John surgery last May, is throwing in Clearwater, Fla. Manager Joe Girardi says he’s doing well.