Major League Baseball (MLB) has issued a warning against San Francisco Giants players who donned Bible verses during the team’s Pride Night. The team’s Pride Night featured gay couples renewing their vows while a drag queen appeared on the field. The team’s starting pitcher, Landen Roupp, appeared during the game with the reference for Bible verse Genesis 9:12-16 next to his cap’s rainbow “SF.” Relievers JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker also wore their caps with a reference to the Bible verse, while pitcher Sam Hentges opted to wear the team’s normal hat. The verse refers to the scene after Noah’s ark has landed in the mountains after a worldwide flood has destroyed humanity and God places a rainbow in the sky to promise that He will never flood the Earth again in such a way.

Roupp discussed his decision to add in the Bible verse to reporters after the team’s 5-1 loss. “It’s just about God’s covenant and a promise that he makes to us that, you know, his faithfulness and his mercy. 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,” he said, adding, “There’s no hate at all. It’s just what I stand for, and what I stand in. I believe in God.” He also encouraged those who might have been offended to “read the Bible.” Hentes shared his thoughts the next day on why he didn’t wear the hat. “It’s just something that I feel like I was forced to support when I don’t morally support it,” he said. “There wasn’t hatred behind it. I think that’s kind of something that’s misinterpreted. I don’t hate the LGBTQ community. It’s just something I believed and talked with teammates and family, and they supported it.”

The MLB issued a warning to the three players with Bible verses on their hats, saying the writing, “violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations.” The Giants also issued a statement apologizing for any pain the players’ statements might have caused the LGBTQ+ community. “Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all,” wrote the team, while also acknowledging that players are permitted to make their own choices about participating in certain team activities.

The gay outlet Outsports, pushed back, calling the players homophobic and accused the team of being owned by a Republican. “That the San Francisco Giants would deflect all responsibility for what happened on the field for their own Pride Night — with the history of the LGBTQ community in their city — and utterly confuse the real issue at hand, passing it off as ‘some players didn’t participate’ is a gross representation of what happened,” wrote Cyd Zeigler. “The rainbow, long the centerpiece of LGBTQ symbols, they say belongs to a belief system that has been used to end the lives of gay people and demean gay people for centuries,” added Zeigler, without really acknowledging that the rainbow symbol has been utilized by Jews and Christians for centuries before Pride Nights.

Others pushed their support for the players, including actor Rob Schneider. “I will pay the fines for any @MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniform,” vowed Schneider on X. “@MLB is ANTI-CHRISTIAN.” Vice President JD Vance also threw his support behind the pitchers. “Trump won we don’t have to do this anymore,” wrote the Vice President, sharing a link to an article describing the players being warned. “The important point is that disagreement with a specific lifestyle does not equal hate. Many years ago we could agree to disagree, but with the infusion of the LGBTQ in corporate America and sports, athletes are expected to affirm, accept and ally with this movement. That’s not freedom, that’s coercion,” wrote Outkick’s Jon Root. “In my opinion, this takes a lot of guts and should not only be admired, but celebrated. No Christian athlete should be forced to endorse and accept something that goes against their religion.”