Comedian Rob Schneider said he will pay for any fines Major League Baseball players face after three San Francisco Giants players were issued warnings for wearing Bible verses on their uniforms during a Pride Night game.
“I will pay the fines for any @MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniform,” Schneider wrote on X. “@MLB is ANTI-CHRISTIAN.”
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Starting pitcher Landen Roupp and relievers JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker all wore LGBT-themed Pride Night caps with etched-in references to Genesis 9:12-16 during Friday’s game against the Chicago Cubs. Reliever Sam Hentges did not etch in Bible verses but instead wore the team’s standard colors, black and orange, instead of the pride-themed cap.
“The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations,” Pat Courtney, MLB’s chief communications officer, said in a statement. The league’s rules state a player “may not write, attach, affix, embroider, or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment.”
The statement did not specify whether future violations would include fines and said the verbal warning did not include any disciplinary action.
MLB later issued an additional statement saying the warning had nothing to do with religion.
“To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” the league said. “We respect players’ right to free expression. However, writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited.”
Several high-profile politicians also reacted to the controversy.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) even shared a letter demanding answers from MLB over its warning to the three Giants players, adding that the league did not enforce rules against allowing Black Lives Matter messaging on the field in 2020.
Hawley said these actions mirror an earlier investigation in which a Washington Nationals executive prevented a Catholic player from being included in promotional materials because of his faith. While the executive was later fired, Hawley said the incident proves there is anti-Christian bigotry in baseball.
Other X users also argued that the warning was inconsistently enforced.
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Commentator Jon Root said former Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw also wrote “Gen 9: 12-16” on a Pride Night-themed cap last year.
Kershaw wrote “Gen 9: 12-16” on a Pride Night-themed cap last year and was met with praise for his decision. He did not receive any official warnings from MLB.
