U.S. Politician Rips MLB Players For Writing On Pride Hats
The San Francisco Giants have been called out by a local lawmaker this week due to a message posted on some players' Pride Night caps.
Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp had "Gen 9:12-16" on his cap for last Friday's showdown with the Chicago Cubs. It was reported that relievers J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker also had Bible verses on their Pride Night hats.
Matt Dorsey, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, put the Giants' players on blast for making a religious statement during Pride Night.
"First, as a sports fan, it struck me as problematically undisciplined. When you're a highly paid professional athlete, your uniform isn't a canvas for individual self-expression - especially about politics - and it has been my observation over the years that championship-caliber teams never tolerate distractions like this," Dorsey wrote. "Second, as a person of faith, I'll be the first to defend Bible verses and prayer as sources of inspiration and strength for many athletes - I have no problem with that. But I am bothered to see Biblical cherry-picking used to score political points, on a single occasion, and it's hard to argue this was anything other than that.
"Third, as a gay man, I'm disappointed that a universally recognized symbol of LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion is still seen by some as controversial in 2026. Major cities with major-league sports teams are inherently diverse, and if you're uncomfortable celebrating the wide array of heritage and pride nights for communities that make up the city on your uniform, maybe the major leagues aren't for you."
What did the Giants have to say?
Roupp was asked about his decision to write a Bible verse on his cap. He didn't seem to think it was a big deal.
"It's just about God's covenant and a promise that he makes to us that, you know, his faithfulness and his mercy," Roupp told reporters. "That's just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that, and I'm thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want … and express what we want.
Giants manager Tony Vitello, meanwhile, had this to say: "I mean, just kind of a general knowledge of the individuals have the freedom to do what they think is best."
For what it's worth, MLB's chief communications officer Pat Courtney told The Athletic that San Francisco's pitchers violated the league's rules by posting Bible verses on their caps.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 10:22 AM.