Major League Baseball has warned several San Francisco Giants players after they wrote Bible references on their caps during the team’s annual Pride Night celebration, saying the additions violated league uniform regulations.
The warning followed actions taken by multiple Giants players who added scriptural references to special Pride Night caps featuring the team logo in rainbow colors associated with LGBT advocacy.
MLB Chief Communications Officer Pat Courtney confirmed that league officials had addressed the matter with the players and cautioned them against similar actions in the future.
“The writing on the cap violates our rules and consistent with normal practice we have warned the players about future violations," Courtney said in a statement provided to Outsports on Monday.
The controversy stems from last Friday’s Pride Night event, when starting pitcher Landen Roupp and two other Giants players wrote references to Genesis 9:12-16 on their caps. The passage describes God's covenant with humanity after the flood and identifies the rainbow as a sign of that covenant.
Relief pitcher JT Brubaker also included a biblical reference on his cap, citing Genesis 9:13-15, which contains a portion of the same covenant passage.
The league’s response prompted reactions from supporters of the players. Actor and comedian Rob Schneider publicly offered to cover any future penalties that might result from similar actions.
“I will pay the fines for any @MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniform,” Schneider wrote in an X post Monday. “@MLB is ANTI-CHRISTIAN.”
MLB’s position is based on provisions contained in the league’s Basic Agreement governing player uniforms and apparel. The agreement prohibits unauthorized alterations and messages on official uniforms.
According to the agreement, “No alterations, writing or illustrations, other than as authorized herein, are to be made to any part of the uniform.” The regulations also state that “A Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel.”
The policy establishes a progressive discipline system for violations. Players receive a warning for a first offense, followed by fines of $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 for additional violations. Repeated offenses can also lead to exclusion from certain league events, including postseason and spring training activities.
Roupp defended his decision during a postgame interview, emphasizing that the Bible reference was not intended as a criticism of others but rather as a personal expression of faith.
He said the message represented “no hate at all,” adding that the Scripture passage reflects “what I stand for and what I stand in.” Roupp also expressed appreciation that “we live in a country where … we have the freedom to believe what we want.”
