Three San Francisco Giants pitchers received warnings from Major League Baseball (MLB) after writing Bible verses on their Pride Night hats during a game against the Chicago Cubs. The players—Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker—added references to Genesis 9:12-16, a passage about rainbows as a covenant between God and humanity, alongside the team’s rainbow-colored Pride Night logo. MLB cited its uniform policy, which prohibits writing of any kind on team gear.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, accusing the league of a "pattern of discrimination against players who profess their Christian faith." Hawley referenced MLB’s past allowance of political messages, such as "Black Lives Matter" patches and cleat slogans, as evidence of selective enforcement. Other Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, also criticized MLB’s actions.
Meanwhile, California state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) condemned the players, calling them "homophobes" for "defacing" the Pride Night caps. Wiener argued the Giants and MLB should enforce uniform rules consistently, including against homophobic expressions. He accused Republican leaders like Hawley and Vice President JD Vance of waging an "anti-LGBTQ culture war."
MLB’s uniform policy states that players may not alter team-issued gear, including hats and jerseys. The league has not publicly commented on whether the warnings will result in further disciplinary action. The Giants have not responded to requests for comment on the incident.