San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on June 12, 2026. (John Hefti/Imagn Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – Major League Baseball may soon be caught up in a legal battle as players and state legal authorities react to the league’s recent warning to its players and teams.
According to a letter from Missouri state Attorney General Catherine Hanaway to Major League Baseball’s offices in New York City, the league must provide a thorough explanation regarding its policy regarding players displaying religious symbols and quotes on their uniforms by June 25th or face an investigation from the state. Major League Baseball is subject to Missouri state employment and religious freedom laws because franchises, the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, operate and employ thousands of people in the state.
Additionally, Republican Missouri U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has sent MLB commissioner Rob Manfred a formal letter requesting more information on the league’s policy, stating that if the league refuses to provide the information, he will subpoena Manfred to appear before the House Judiciary Committee and begin a formal review of the league’s antitrust exemption.
Both Hanaway’s and Hawley’s letters come just days after the league warned San Francisco Giants pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker for wearing biblical quotes such as “Gen 9:12-16″ in white lettering on their hats during the team’s recent Pride Night game, while another Giants pitcher refused to wear the Pride-themed hat at all, instead wearing the Giants’ standard black and orange ballcap.
After the game, Roupp spoke to the media regarding the decision to put the verse on his hat, saying, “It’s just about God’s covenant and a promise that he makes to us that, you know, his faithfulness and his mercy… That’s just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that, and I’m thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want … and express what we want.”
In a statement to The Athletic, MLB’s chief communications officer Pat Courtney stated that “The writing on the cap violates our rules, and consistent with normal practice, we have warned the players about future violations.”
In response to the news of the warning to the players, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier posted on X, plainly asking, “Do you practice religious discrimination in Florida, @MLB? You’ll be hearing from my office soon.” He also added on Tuesday night that the MLB allowed its policy on religious and political statements to be changed and/or ignored in 2020 so that players and teams could display “left-wing messaging” about the BLM movement on their jerseys and the field.
Employment discrimination based on religion is illegal in both Missouri and Florida under state law (Missouri Human Rights Act and Florida Civil Rights Act) and federal law (Title VII). It is also a Class E felony under Missouri state law for any employer, labor organization, or company operating in the state to discriminate against an employee regarding compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment based on their political beliefs or opinions.
Meanwhile, there is no current state statute in Florida that prohibits job discrimination based on political affiliation, but the state may begin an investigation or file a lawsuit if the attorney general’s office believes the league’s policy may violate the religious rights of Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays players and organizational employees.
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