MLB will not discipline the Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their caps during a recent Pride Night, with the league pointing to a “lapse in communication” between the team and its players that created a political issue for the league.
In a response letter to Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Mo.), league commissioner Rob Manfred said the Giants did not outline to its roster that participation in the June 12 Pride Night was voluntary. What wasn’t permissible, though, was adding personal messages to their uniforms—something that is a collective bargaining issue between MLB and the MLB Players Association.
The league issued warnings to those players, a move that prompted Hawley to accuse MLB of a “pattern of discrimination” against Christian players. The U.S. Department of Justice also initiated an investigation into the issue, and referred it to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Manfred, however, insisted Hawley’s claims weren’t accurate, and blamed the Giants for not correctly explaining uniform rules to their players.
“Unfortunately, this year the Giants’ communication with players was inadequate and not clear,” Manfred wrote in the three-page letter that was shared by Hawley on social media late Monday. “Some players apparently did not understand that they had the option to wear their normal uniform and elected to add messages to their hats bearing the pride logo as a result.”
