MLB Commissioner’s Response to Bible Verses on Pride Night Hats

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred communicated to Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., that San Francisco Giants players who added Bible verse references to their Pride Night hats will not face penalties. Manfred defended the league’s uniform policy amidst this controversy.

On June 19, Manfred sent a letter, which Hawley shared online on Monday. It stated the league issued ‘a routine oral warning’ following Giants players’ addition of biblical references to hats with the team’s Pride logo. However, the warning was given prior to understanding that players were not clearly informed they were allowed to wear regular caps instead.

“The players were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be,” Manfred assured.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp had inscribed ‘Genesis 9:12-16’ on his Pride Night hat, while at least one player, reliever Sam Hentges, chose to wear the team’s standard cap instead. Hawley criticized MLB’s original reaction, suggesting it acknowledged wrongdoing in threatening Giants players over Bible verses.

Hawley had previously written to Manfred on June 16, questioning MLB’s warnings to players for ‘publicly expressing their Christian faith’ on caps during the team’s Pride Night. This was followed by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon’s announcement that the Justice Department referred the incident to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding religious discrimination concerns.

MLB’s reaction developed after players, including Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker, wrote Bible verse references on rainbow-logo caps during the June 12 Pride Night event. Roupp’s reference to Genesis discusses a rainbow as a divine covenant sign post-flood.

Initially, MLB stated these writings violated rules against altering uniforms or equipment. In Manfred’s correspondence to Hawley, he detailed the rule came from negotiations with the MLB Players Association, barring players from writing, attaching, affixing, embroidering, or displaying messages on any apparel or equipment.

Manfred explained the rule aims to prevent players from promoting political or social issues while in uniform due to potential offense, despite players’ intentions. Yet, he acknowledged MLB strives to avoid enforcing participation in commemorative events conflicting with players’ religious beliefs or values.

“We understand that some players or other on-field personnel have not been comfortable wearing the pride emblem on their uniform based on their religious beliefs,” Manfred noted.

Previous MLB controversies with Pride-themed uniforms involved 2022 instances with Rays players and former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw citing the identical Genesis passage.

MLB implemented a policy in 2023 restricting clubs from using special uniforms, hats, or equipment for team celebration days, except under limited situations like patches honoring deceased individuals or marking baseball milestones. Nevertheless, Manfred allowed Dodgers and Giants to retain Pride emblems due to Los Angeles and San Francisco’s significant LGBTQ communities and the clubs’ desire to support these fan bases.

MLB’s agreement included the stipulation that no player or uniformed staff must wear the Pride gear, ensuring clubs confirm players’ comfort with their apparel choices. Manfred stated that Giants’ communication regarding player options was ‘inadequate and not clear’, causing uniform misunderstandings and subsequent additions to the Pride caps.

“MLB believes in the right of our players and fans to express their religious beliefs, while also supporting communities, including LGBTQ fans,” Manfred concluded.

He affirmed MLB’s ban on uniform modifications to avoid selectively censoring messages. The league will collaborate with players and clubs on policies that honor the values and beliefs of players and fans.