Manfred Says 3 Giants Players Won’t Be Disciplined Over Bible Verses on Pride Night Hats
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 22
Manfred Says 3 Giants Players Won’t Be Disciplined Over Bible Verses on Pride Night Hats
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 22
Summary
Three Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verse references on June 12 Pride Night caps received only a routine oral warning, and Rob Manfred told Sen. Josh Hawley they were not fined and never will be.
Manfred said MLB first treated the writing as a violation of its collectively bargained ban on altering uniforms, but later found the Giants had not clearly told players they could wear standard caps instead.
That unclear communication mattered because MLB’s grandfathered exception letting the Giants and Dodgers use Pride emblems requires that no player or uniformed staffer be forced to wear the gear.
The letter came after Hawley pressed MLB over alleged religious discrimination and after the Justice Department referred the matter to the EEOC for review.
Manfred said MLB will keep its no-alteration rule to avoid policing which messages are allowed, while still trying to accommodate players whose religious beliefs conflict with commemorative apparel.