MLB Issues Big Warning to Giants Pitchers Who Displayed Bible Verses During LGBT 'Pride Night'
Major League Baseball struck out in its attempt to express concern for any possible offense caused by Christian players who bucked their team’s “pride night.”
Three San Francisco Giants pitchers wrote Bible verses on their “pride night” caps on Friday.
Giants right-hander Landen Roupp had “Gen 9: 12-16” on his cap as he started the game, which the Giants lost 6-1 to the Chicago Cubs. Relievers JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wore Bible verses on their hats as well. Relief pitcher Sam Hentges wore a standard Giants cap when he was called upon.
“The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations,” Pat Courtney, MLB’s chief communications officer, said in a statement.
But then came the backpedaling as MLB wanted to be sure that everyone knew that this censorship was nothing of the kind, as noted by The New York Times.
“To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” the league said in a follow-up message.
“We respect players’ right to free expression. However, writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s uniform regulations which provides in part that, ‘(a) player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment,’” the statement said.
The statement went on to ensure that no one could ever think it cared about the content of the messages on players’ caps.
“We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad,’ ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom’ and names of family members,” the statement said.
The elaboration came as the MLB faced backlash from Christians and conservatives.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri fired off a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, according to The Washington Times.
“You must answer for what appears to be a pattern of discrimination within MLB against baseball players who profess their Christian faith… The freedom to live out one’s faith does not end at the ballpark gate,” Hawley wrote.
Keeping in mind that Major League Baseball did everything it could to festoon uniforms with “Black Lives Matter” propaganda back in 2020, Hawley said the rebuke was out of line.
“[MLB] suspended its own equipment rules so that players could display progressive political slogans on their cleats. The league went beyond tolerating speech — it designed speech, promoted speech, and shoehorned social and political messages into the game broadcast to millions of Americans,” Hawley wrote.
“Yet when three players added a handful of characters citing the Book of Genesis to their caps, the league reached for its rulebook,” he wrote.
Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore https://t.co/Dsl5DH2obf
— JD Vance (@JDVance) June 16, 2026
Vice President J.D. Vance also chimed in on X.
“Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore,” he quipped.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier indicated the pattern was not settled in his state.
“Do you practice religious discrimination in Florida, @MLB? You’ll be hearing from my office soon,” he posted on X.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
