The MLB postseason has a particular feel: cooler air, packed stadiums, and higher blood pressure.
For the second straight year, there’s another distinguishing feature. Each hitter’s helmet bears the word “Strauss” in large lettering along the side.
The addition sparked controversy when it debuted in 2024, with some fans arguing it cheapened the classic postseason aesthetic. Nevertheless, it’s back for 2025.
Here’s what you need to know about MLB helmets for this year’s playoffs.
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Why does it say Strauss on MLB helmets?
MLB and German workwear brand Strauss agreed to a sponsorship deal ahead of the 2024 postseason, placing the Strauss logo on every helmet during the playoffs. Despite some fan criticism, the branding remained through the highly-watched World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers—and has returned for 2025.
Brand logos have become increasingly common in professional and college sports in recent years. Many MLB teams now feature ad patches on their jersey sleeves, while NBA teams began adding brand logos to their uniforms over a decade ago.
For now, the Strauss logo on MLB helmets stands out as one of the most visible sponsorships in sports—even if it only appears for roughly one month each year.
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Does Strauss make MLB helmets?
Strauss does not make MLB helmets. Rawlings instead brands itself as MLB's official helmet manufacturer.
Strauss doesn't make helmets, but it does sell apparel and believes the fit between itself and MLB is a natural one. Here's more to know about the company.
What is Strauss?
Strauss is a European workwear brand that first became available in the U.S. in 2023. CEO Henning Strauss, born in Germany, said in 2024 that he has been a baseball fan since childhood and wanted a partnership similar to some of the soccer sponsorships he had arranged in Europe.
"I was born in Germany. And on my first trip to the United States with my parents—when I was eight years old—the one thing I did take back was a baseball bat," Strauss said in MLB’s announcement of the deal. "I love the sport. It reflects so much of the American identity. Coming here now, I think there's a really authentic and organic connection that we can see in the two brands coming together."
Putting the Strauss logo—featuring an ostrich and the company name—on MLB helmets doesn’t guarantee additional sales, but it provides the brand with massive exposure in a market that is still relatively unfamiliar with it.
"We are proud to be the first brand featured on MLB batting helmets in the U.S.," Strauss added in 2024. "We are excited to join the baseball tradition and help the American pastime grow, back home in Europe."
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How much did Strauss pay to be on MLB helmets?
It's unclear how much Strauss paid MLB to be such a prominent sponsor for the postseason, but they clearly liked their return on investment from 2024.
Sports Business Journal estimated Strauss made between $10.4 million and $17.2 million from the brand's exposure on the airwaves in 2024. While the postseason can feel quick, the opportunity for Strauss was appealing for obvious reasons: their company name appeared on every player's helmet in all four rounds of the playoffs, including a World Series that ultimately featured two of the biggest brands in American sports.
The two sides went forward with the sponsorship deal for at least one more October, though a World Series with such a high-profile matchup is, of course, not guaranteed.