Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, said to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) that the pitchers on the San Francisco Giants who wrote Bible verses on their hats meant for Pride Night won’t be getting any fines or any other discipline for their actions, and he also came to the defense of MLB’s policy on uniforms which has become a conversation amid the situation.
In a Twitter post Monday from Hawley, he published a letter dated June 19 that was from Manfred, with the commissioner saying that the office of Major League Baseball flagged “a routine oral warning” following San Francisco pitchers adding Bible verses to hats that featured the Pride logo of the Giants. However, Manfred also stated that the warning from the league was issued prior to MLB becoming aware that San Francisco didn’t clearly tell their roster that they could sport regular hats instead. (RELATED: ‘In For A Rude Awakening’: Mike Krukow Has Hissy Fit After Giants Players Write Bible Verses On Pride Night Hats)
“The players were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be,” wrote Manfred.
.@MLB Commissioner writes to me and admits they were wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players – or any players for their religious beliefs pic.twitter.com/rnPy2F7fyR
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 22, 2026
With that being said, there was at least one player on the Giants who decided to opt out of the hat for Pride Night. In the game, relief pitcher Sam Hentges was wearing the standard cap of the franchise rather than the Pride Night edition.
The response was characterized by Hawley as MLB admitting the league was “wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses.” Hawley sent a letter to Manfred dated June 16 questioning why Major League Baseball issued warnings to the pitchers for “publicly expressing their Christian faith” during Pride Night for San Francisco.
The interaction followed Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, stating that the Justice Department referred the situation to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, making the argument that the handling from MLB regarding its warnings triggered concerns about religious discrimination.