MLB Commissioner Criticizes Giants’ Pride Night Protocols

Giants pitcher Landen Roupp was warned by MLB after writing a Bible verse on his cap during the team’s celebration of Pride Night. | John Hefti-Imagn Images

Much has been made of MLB’s decision to issue a warning to three Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their Pride Night caps during a game against the Cubs on June 12.

The pitchers in question—Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker—were warned but not disciplined by MLB due to its policy which strictly prohibits writing of any kind on a cap or a team uniform without receiving permission from the Commissioner’s office.

In a letter to U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred made clear that the league was not discriminating against players for their religious beliefs, but was simply abiding by its own bylaws.

“... MLB has a policy negotiated with the Major League Baseball Players Association that states a ‘Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment.’ This policy is enforced without regard to the substance of the messaging,” said Manfred in a response to Hawley.

In other words, it wasn’t the subject matter that resulted in the trio of Giants pitchers being warned by MLB. Rather, writing of any kind on a team issued cap, without permission from the league, would’ve resulted in the same warning.

Later in the letter, Manfred notes a 2023 policy change which prohibits MLB teams from using special uniforms or equipment on “celebration days.” The Giants and Dodgers formally requested the use of their pride logos to be grandfathered, enabling the clubs to continue wearing the uniforms for events such as Pride Night. Manfred explicitly states in the letter that, “MLB agreed to allow them to utilize hats/uniforms with the emblems provided that no player or uniformed staff would be required to wear them, and that the team would speak to the players to make sure they were comfortable with the apparel.”

Because of that policy change, the onus was on the Giants to inform its players that wearing the Pride Night cap was at the discretion of the player. Manfred indicated the team didn’t properly communicate that to the players.

“Unfortunately, this year the Giants’ communication with players was inadequate and not clear. Some players apparently did not understand that they had the option to wear their normal uniform and elected to add messages to their hats bearing the pride logo as a result.

“The Giants players were allowed to wear the hats with the biblical references for the entire game. After the game had concluded, my office issued a routine oral warning about the uniform policy violation -- unfortunately it was issued before we became aware of the Giants’ lapse in communication. The players were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be.”

Another Giants pitcher, Sam Hentges, did not wear the team’s pride cap, opting instead to wear the team’s standard hat. He was not warned by MLB, as he didn’t violate any of its policies regarding team uniforms. That was an option for Roupp, Brubaker and Walker, though Manfred indicated that the Giants failed to relay that information to the team adequately, and thus the trio won’t face any further discipline.

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