MLB closes case: No penalty for Giants players who wrote Bible verses on their hats

Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred informed Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley, that the San Francisco Giants players who wrote biblical references on their caps during Pride Night will not be disciplined or fined, and defended the league’s uniform policy at the center of the controversy. In a letter dated June 19 and posted by Hawley on X on Monday, the commissioner explained that MLB headquarters issued a “routine oral warning” after several players added biblical references to the Pride-logoed caps worn by the team. “The players were not fined or disciplined, nor will they ever be,” Manfred wrote.

The incident began during the Giants’ game on June 12, when pitchers Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker, and Ryan Walker wrote references to Bible verses on hats adorned with the rainbow Pride logo. Initially, MLB maintained that this violated rules prohibiting the alteration of uniforms or official equipment, with Manfred noting that this policy was negotiated with the Major League Baseball Players Association and stipulates that players may not write, affix, embroider or display messages on game uniforms or equipment. The commissioner also explained that the purpose of the rule is to prevent players from becoming spokespersons for political or social causes while wearing their official uniform, as certain messages may be offensive to some fans, regardless of the player’s intention.

The controversy intensified after Sen. Hawley sent a letter to the commissioner on June 16 questioning why MLB had cautioned players for “publicly expressing their Christian faith” during San Francisco’s Pride Night celebrations. Shortly thereafter, Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon announced that the Department of Justice had referred the matter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), arguing that the league’s actions could raise concerns regarding religious discrimination.