(LifeSiteNews) — Major League Baseball (MLB) apologized for its disastrous public warning to three Christian San Francisco Giants pitchers who inscribed Bible verse citations on their team-issued rainbow hats on “pride night.”
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who had demanded answers from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred over the incident, said that the commissioner “admitted the league was wrong to threaten San Francisco Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players – or any players for their religious beliefs.”
.@MLB Commissioner writes to me and admits they were wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players – or any players for their religious beliefs pic.twitter.com/rnPy2F7fyR
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 22, 2026
Manfred and the league came under fire not only from Sen. Hawley but from Vice President JD Vance and multiple governors and state attorneys general.
In an ominous post on X, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon warned the MLB, “Time to lawyer up!”
In his lengthy letter to Hawley, Manfred explained that the MLB had “neither fined nor disciplined” the Christian Giants pitchers and promised that it never will.
“In 2023, the (Los Angeles) Dodgers and the Giants requested their use of the pride emblem on uniforms/hats on Pride Night be grandfathered. Los Angeles and San Francisco are homes to some of the largest (so-called) LGBTQ communities in the United States, and those Clubs desired to show their appreciation and support for those communities that have supported their Clubs throughout the years,” Manfred wrote.
“MLB agreed to allow them to utilize the 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,” the commissioner alleged.
Manfred continued:
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.
If it’s true that Giants and Dodgers players — and other teams throughout the league — are not required to wear special “pride night” hats and jerseys and that this is clearly stated to all MLB players, this begs the question: Why don’t more stand up against the LGBTQ rainbow juggernaut by refusing to wear offensive anti-Christian rainbow apparel?
