Religious Freedom vs. MLB Policy
Justice Department Investigates Giants Pride Night Hats; MLB Defends Neutral Uniform Policy Enforcement
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Key Points
1
The three Giants pitchers who wore Bible verses on Pride Night hats were Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker; one reliever, Sam Hentges, wore the standard cap and did not display a message that night.
2
MLB’s uniform-message policy is a negotiated rule with the MLB Players Association and is enforced without regard to the content of the message; it bans writing, attaching or displaying any message on apparel or equipment.
3
A 2023 policy change prohibited celebration-day uniforms; the Giants (and Dodgers) were granted a grandfathered arrangement to continue Pride emblems so long as participation was optional and no player or staff member was required to wear them.
4
The Justice Department opened a civil rights inquiry into possible religious rights violations regarding MLB’s handling of Pride Night, with the DOJ referring MLB to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Florida’s attorney general also pursuing a related investigation.
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights inquiry into Major League Baseball following a Pride Night controversy involving three San Francisco Giants pitchers. On June 12, Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker wrote Bible verse citations in silver ink on their league-issued rainbow caps during a game against the Chicago Cubs. MLB issued a routine oral warning three days later for violating its uniform-message policy.
Commissioner Rob Manfred ruled out any discipline for the players. In a letter to Senator Josh Hawley, Manfred blamed the Giants organization for giving players "inadequate and unclear" guidance about their right to opt out of the Pride cap entirely. The DOJ referral to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — and a separate Florida state subpoena — have turned a uniform infraction into a national debate over religious liberty.
What the Players Did and What the Rules Say
Roupp, Brubaker, and Walker inscribed "Gen 9:12-16" on their Giants Pride Night caps. Genesis 9:12-16 describes the rainbow as God's covenant with Noah — a passage some read as a direct counter to the rainbow's use as an LGBTQ+ symbol. A fourth pitcher, Sam Hentges, skipped the Pride cap altogether and wore his standard black-and-orange team cap, which was fully permitted under league rules.
MLB's uniform policy, negotiated with the MLB Players Association, bars players from writing, attaching, or displaying any message on apparel or equipment. Sports Illustrated reported that MLB compared the warning to routine violations like players writing "I Love Mom" on their gear. Manfred stressed the rule is content-neutral — it applies to any message, religious or otherwise.
Giants Botched the Opt-Out — Manfred Puts Blame on the Club
A 2023 MLB policy change banned celebration-day uniforms league-wide, following a 2022 controversy where Tampa Bay Rays players refused to wear Pride patches. Only the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers kept a "grandfathered" arrangement to wear Pride gear. The deal came with two firm conditions: participation must be entirely optional, and teams must clearly explain that to players.
Manfred wrote to Hawley that "some players apparently did not understand that they had the option to wear their normal uniform," according to SFGATE. The Giants issued a public apology to the LGBTQ+ community on June 13, saying the display caused "pain and anger." But Manfred's letter made clear the Giants — not the players — failed to follow the grandfathered agreement's communication requirement.
DOJ Steps In, Florida Launches Its Own Probe
On June 18, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent a letter to MLB referring the matter to the EEOC. Dhillon argued MLB's handling of the incident may place an "unreasonable burden" on players' religious rights under the Civil Rights Act, according to The Guardian. Senator Hawley has threatened to haul Manfred before a Senate hearing and has raised the possibility of reviewing MLB's antitrust exemption.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier issued a separate investigative subpoena to MLB on June 19, demanding enforcement records going back to 2020. The deadline for MLB to produce those documents is July 23, 2026, according to My Florida Legal. Uthmeier is specifically probing whether MLB allowed "Black Lives Matter" and "United for Change" patches during the 2020 season while warning players for religious messages now.
The Bigger Fight: Neutrality, Religious Rights, and the Future of Pride Uniforms
MLB insists its rule is a shield, not a weapon. Manfred says the policy exists so players are never "compelled" to send a message in uniform — on any topic. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times wrote that this is not "an anti-Christian crackdown" but a standard workplace uniform rule. Under that view, the Giants' grandfathered Pride caps are permissible only because they are optional — the moment a player felt forced, the arrangement broke down.
Critics see it differently. Conservative legal analysts point to the 2020 season patches as proof of a double standard. Pitcher Landen Roupp stated publicly: "I stand firm in my belief... I'm thankful we live in a country where we have the freedom to express what we want." Analysts now predict MLB may scrap all themed uniforms — Pride, military appreciation, and others — to avoid future legal exposure. The EEOC inquiry will be the key test of whether the policy, as applied, crosses a legal line.
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