MLB issued a warning over the weekend to three San Francisco Giants who wrote a Bible verse on their rainbow hats for Friday’s LGBTQ Pride game against the Chicago Cubs.
The pitchers, who were not required to wear the rainbow-themed caps, each wrote “Gen 9:12-16” before taking the mound for the 5-1 loss to Chicago. The associated Bible verse refers to the Book of Genesis, where God describes the rainbow as a “sign of the covenant” between God and the Earth and promises not to flood the world again.
“That’s just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that, and I’m thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want … and express what we want,” Giants pitcher Landen Roupp, who started Friday’s game, told reporters of the verse on his hat. Relievers J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker also inscribed the verse on their hats before taking the mound on Friday.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who has since retired, wrote the same message on his cap during a Pride night last season. MLB officials did not issue a public statement about any potential warning for Kershaw at the time.
Roupp, Kershaw, Brubaker and Walker did not adorn their caps with Bible verses for any other games, leading many to speculate that the move was a form of protest against the decades-long tradition of LGBT activations at sporting events.
“There’s no hate at all,” Roupp told reporters after the game. “It’s just what I stand for.”
MLB officials, who have long provided strict stipulations about how players can and cannot customize their on-field uniforms, said the warning was related to a long-standing policy.
“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 to multiple publications.
The threat of disciplinary action riled up some Christian sports fans, including comedian Rob Schneider.
“I will pay the fines for any MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniforms,” Mr. Schneider wrote on X on Tuesday morning. “MLB is ANTI-CHRISTIAN.”
San Francisco is known for having a thriving LGBTQ scene. The Giants were the first MLB team to incorporate a rainbow-themed logo for their on-field hats in 2021. The franchise also became the first professional sports team to host an HIV/AIDS awareness event when the disease began decimating legions of gay men in the early 1990s.
“You have to take a broader look at the city you’re playing in. What makes San Francisco so great is the acceptance of others — ethnicities, opinions, cultures — and that extends to the gay community,” Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I would just hope they would understand the demographic of San Francisco and respect people for who they are.”
The Giants were the first MLB team to incorporate a rainbow-themed logo for their on-field hats in 2021. San Francisco manager Tony Vitello noted that his team did not have a major discussion before the Pride-themed game.
“Not really. I mean, just kind of a general knowledge [that] the individuals have the freedom to do what they think is best,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said.
All MLB teams except the Texas Rangers are scheduled to host some form of LGBT Pride night this year.
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