Shirtless fans cheer at MLB stadiums as "Tarps Off" trend sweeps baseball world

Tampa Bay Rays fans cheer on the team during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles Monday, May 18, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Chris O'Meara/AP hide caption toggle caption Chris O'Meara/AP Major League Baseball is experiencing an epidemic of (mostly) guys being dudes. At ballparks all across the country, groups consisting of mostly young men are joining in on the "Tarps Off" trend that's loud, goofy, infectious and new to the baseball world. Joining in on the fun is simple: Go to the section where the party is happening, take off your shirt and start twirling it above your head. Soccer-like chants or singing usually follow — injecting a jolt of energy for a sport that is occasionally chided for its lack of energy inside the stadium. After getting it's start in St. Louis last Friday, it has spread across the league to places like Detroit, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Seattle and Anaheim, California. Chad Bitzer — who has been coming to Mariners games for about 13 years — was among the shirtless fans in Seattle. His reasoning was simple: "Cause everyone else was taking it off. Why not?" "It's fresh. It's a beautiful night. Take it off," Bitzer said. "Great Northwest night. We live for the summers. We live for the good weather." Ground zero for the shirtless outbreak was in St. Louis last Friday, when a club baseball team affiliated with Stephen F. Austin State University was in Alton, Illinois, for the National Club Baseball Division II World Series. …