Major League Baseball is facing a federal civil rights investigation after the league warned several San Francisco Giants players who displayed Bible verse references on their Pride Night caps.
Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice, announced Thursday that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission would investigate whether MLB’s actions violated federal law protecting religious expression in the workplace.
In a sharply worded letter to Commissioner Robert Manfred, Dhillon accused the league of potentially burdening players’ religious rights while requiring participation in Pride-themed events.
“The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League’s vehicle for pro-Pride messages,” Dhillon wrote.
The controversy stems from last week’s game between the Giants and the Chicago Cubs, when Giants pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote “Gen. 9:12-16” on their rainbow-themed Pride Night caps.
The Bible passage recounts God’s covenant with Noah after the flood and identifies the rainbow as a sign of that promise.
The displays sparked criticism from some LGBTQ activists and organizations in San Francisco, who argued the players were using the religious reference to send a message opposing Pride celebrations.
MLB subsequently issued verbal warnings to the players but insisted the action had nothing to do with religion.
“To be clear, this routine verbal warning … had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” the league said in a statement.
League officials noted that uniform rules prohibit players from adding any personal messages to apparel or equipment. MLB said players have previously received similar warnings for writing phrases such as “Dad” or “Happy Mother’s Day” on uniforms.
Dhillon challenged that explanation, arguing the league’s history of permitting certain social and political messaging raises questions about whether the policy is being applied consistently.
Specifically, she pointed to MLB’s decision to allow players to wear Black Lives Matter patches and other league-approved social justice messages in recent years, suggesting that religious viewpoints may not be receiving equal treatment.
More over at The New York Post:
San Francisco Giants Pride Night drama sparks DOJ probe as feds rip MLB hypocrisy: 'Double standard' https://t.co/4sJSpQWm0y pic.twitter.com/wL0Y7oVCX6
— New York Post (@nypost) June 19, 2026
