Three San Francisco Giants pitchers sparked controversy during the team’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Oracle Park by inscribing Bible verses on their team-issued caps, which featured a rainbow logo. The incident gained the attention of Vice President JD Vance, who publicly weighed in on the matter via social media.
In a reposted response to the Sports Illustrated social media post, Vance said, “Trump won; we don’t have to do this anymore.”
Pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker each altered their Pride Night caps by writing Genesis 9:12-16 next to the rainbow logo. This passage from the Bible describes God placing a rainbow in the sky as a sign of his covenant with humanity after the flood.
In recent years, these verses have become popular among Christian athletes seeking to reclaim the rainbow as a religious symbol, rather than as the widely recognized symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. Last season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw made a similar statement by writing the same verses on his team’s Pride cap.
Major League Baseball responded by formally warning Roupp, Brubaker, and Walker that their actions violated the league’s strict uniform policy, which prohibits players from making unauthorized alterations to team-issued gear.
MLB chief communications officer Pat Courtney confirmed in a statement that the writing on the caps was a clear breach of league rules. He reiterated that the players had been cautioned not to repeat the offense.
