NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred told Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., that San Francisco Giants players who wrote references to Bible verses on their Pride Night caps will not face fines or discipline for the incident, as they defend the league’s uniform policy at the center of the controversy.
In a June 19 letter sent to X by Hawley on Monday, Manfred said the MLB office issued “a routine oral warning” after Giants players added biblical references to the team’s Pride logo caps. But he said the warning came before the league learned that the Giants had not clearly told players they could wear regular caps.
“The players were not fined or penalized, nor will they ever be,” Manfred wrote.
San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp wrote “Genesis 9:12-16” on his Pride Night-themed cap. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
However, at least one Giants player opted out of the Pride Night cap. Reliever Sam Hentges wore the team’s standard cap instead of the Pride Night version during the game.
SENATOR JOSH HAWLEY DEMANDS RESPONSES FROM MLB ON ‘PATTERN OF DISCRIMINATION’ OVER WARNINGS TO GIANTS PLAYERS
Hawley characterized the response as an admission by MLB that the league had “wrong to threaten Giants players over Bible verses.” The Missouri Republican sent Manfred a letter on June 16 asking why MLB warned players for “publicly expressing their Christian faith” on their caps during Pride Night in San Francisco.
The exchange came after Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said the Justice Department had referred the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, arguing that MLB’s handling of the warnings raised concerns about religious discrimination.
The controversy began after Giants pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote references to Bible verses on rainbow logo caps during the team’s Pride Night game on June 12. Roupp wrote “Genesis 9:12-16,” referring to a passage in Genesis that describes the rainbow as a sign of God’s covenant after the flood.
MLB initially said the writing violated league rules against players altering uniforms or equipment. In his letter to Hawley, Manfred said that rule was collectively negotiated with the MLB Players Association and prohibits players from writing, affixing, affixing, embroidering or displaying messages on clothing or playing equipment.
“The policy applies regardless of the content of the message,” Manfred wrote.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says Giants players who wrote Bible verses on Pride Night caps will not face fines or discipline over the controversy. (Photos by Mary Holt/WBCI/MLB)
Manfred said the purpose of the rule is to prevent players from becoming messengers of political or social issues while in uniform, because too many messages can offend a portion of the fan base, even if that is not the player’s intention.
But Manfred also acknowledged that MLB has tried to avoid putting players in the position of having to participate in commemorative events that might conflict with their religious beliefs or values.
“We understand that some players or other on-field personnel have not felt comfortable wearing the Pride emblem on their uniform due to their religious beliefs,” Manfred wrote.
THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS RECEIVE GAY COUPLES WHO RENEW VOWS WITH DRAG QUEEN IN THE PRIDE NIGHT CEREMONY THAT SIGNALS VIRTUE
The issue is not the first MLB controversy involving Pride-themed uniforms, as Rays players refused to wear Pride logos in 2022 and former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw wrote the same Genesis reference on a Pride-themed cap last season.
The commissioner said MLB adopted a policy in 2023 that prohibits clubs from wearing uniforms, caps or special equipment for team celebration days except in specific circumstances, such as patches honoring deceased members of the baseball community or commemorating baseball milestones.
However, Manfred said the Dodgers and Giants were allowed to continue wearing Pride emblems on uniforms and caps under a protected exception because Los Angeles and San Francisco are home to large LGBTQ communities and both clubs wanted to show their support for those fans.
A special logo for Pride Night is displayed at Oracle Park in San Francisco on June 12, 2026. (Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)
MLB agreed to that exception with the condition that no player or uniformed staff member would have to wear the equipment and that each club would make sure players were comfortable in the equipment, according to Manfred.
Manfred said the Giants’ communication with players this year was “inadequate and unclear,” adding that some players didn’t understand they had the option to wear their regular uniform and added messages to Pride caps “as a result.”
OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP – CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
“In closing, MLB believes in the right of our players and fans to express their religious beliefs while supporting the communities in this country who are fans of our clubs, including the LGBTQ community,” Manfred wrote.
Manfred said MLB will maintain its ban on uniform modifications to avoid “censoring some messages but not others,” while continuing to work with players and clubs on policies that respect the values and beliefs of players and fans.
