San Francisco lawmaker criticizes players ‘cherry-picking’ Bible quotes amid Giants controversy
A San Francisco lawmaker criticized Giants players for writing Bible verses on their hats during the organization’s Pride Night after MLB alerted the team to the messages on Monday.
Matt Dorsey, a Democrat who represents District 6 and sits on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, wrote on social media that the incident was “disappointing on several levels.” He wrote a long article about this ordeal in X.
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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Oracle Park on June 12, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (John Hefti/Imagn Images)
“First of all, as a sports fan, this strikes me as a problematic lack of discipline,” he began. “When you are a highly paid professional athlete, your uniform is not a canvas for individual self-expression – especially when it comes to politics – and my observation over the years has been that championship-level teams never tolerate such distractions.
“Secondly, as a person of faith, I will be the first to argue that Bible verses and prayer have been a source of inspiration and strength for many athletes – I have no problem with that. But it bothers me to see arbitrary selections from the Bible being used to score political points in one instance, and it is difficult to argue that this is anything other than that.”
Dorsey added that as a gay man, he was “disappointed” that a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community was still seen as “controversial.”
“Major cities with major league sports teams are inherently diverse, and if you’re uncomfortable celebrating the diverse heritage and pride nights for the communities that make up the city with your jersey, perhaps the major leagues aren’t for you.”
Landen Roupp of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California on June 12, 2026. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Still, Dorsey didn’t think the players who wrote Bible verses on their Pride hats were “bigoted.”
“All this being said, I refuse to characterize the actions of these athletes as bigotry or hateful, and I urge anyone who has been offended or hurt by this incident to show them kindness. The LGBTQ+ equality movement succeeds when we are committed to winning hearts and minds rather than shaming them,” he added.
MLB warned Giants players about Bible verses.
“The text above the title violates our rules, and in accordance with normal practices, we have warned players of future violations,” MLB’s chief communications officer, Pat Courtney, said in a statement. he said. Athletic.
San Francisco pitcher Landen Roupp wrote “Gen 9:12-16” on his hat over the weekend and was asked about the decision.
“It’s just about the covenant and the promise that God has given us, his faithfulness and his mercy,” Roupp told reporters. “This is something I believe in, and I stand firm in it, and I am grateful that we live in a country where we have the freedom to believe what we want and express what we want.
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello lifts starting pitcher Landen Roupp during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on June 12, 2026. (John Hefti/Imagn Images)
“There is no hate whatsoever. This is just what I stand for and stand for. I believe in God.”
Giants manager Tony Vitello also appeared to ignore the issue.
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“Not really. I mean, it’s just general knowledge that individuals have the freedom to do what they think is best,” Vitello said. “But I think it was clear from day one, even in some of the exhibition games, that the Giants as an organization tried to embrace the entire community is pretty impressive.”
Fox News’ Ian Miller contributed to this report.
