Senator Hawley Requests MLB Explanation on Warning to Players for Bible Verses

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to Major League Baseball (MLB) on June 16, 2026, seeking clarification regarding the league's warning to three San Francisco Giants pitchers who displayed Bible verses on their Pride Night hats. The players, Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker, wore caps featuring the inscription 'Gen 9:12-16', referencing a biblical passage about God's covenant with Noah. Hawley criticized the MLB for what he described as a pattern of discrimination against Christian players, contrasting the league's actions with its previous acceptance of Black Lives Matter messaging. The MLB stated that the writing on the caps violated its content-neutral policy and warned the players about future violations. Hawley also referenced a prior incident involving a Washington Nationals executive who admitted to excluding a Catholic player from promotional materials due to his faith. Other Republican figures, including Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) and Vice President JD Vance, expressed support for the players and criticized the MLB's decision. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon warned the MLB of potential legal action regarding the matter. Hawley requested the MLB provide information on all disciplinary actions taken against players in the past five years and a copy of the uniform regulation related to the warnings by the deadline of June 19, 2026.