San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp stood up for his Christian faith by inscribing a Bible verse in silver next to the rainbow logo on his cap.
On Friday, the baseball team held “Pride Night,” dedicating the game to a “celebration of Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community” that included “pregame festivities, in-game celebrations, and appearances.” The event featured same-sex couples renewing their marriage vows on the field in the presence of a drag queen, and the team celebrated the LGBTQ community through rainbow-colored hats, according to FOX.
A few players, however, took a stand — including Landen Roupp, who was raised in rural North Carolina and attended a private Christian school. Before heading to the mound, he inscribed the Bible passage from Genesis 9 on his cap.
The verses describe God’s promise to Noah and all future generations that he would never again destroy the earth with a flood, with the rainbow serving as the sign of that covenant.
“And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.'” Genesis 9:12-16
An article from The Athletic expressed outrage over their decision, saying the Bible verses “missed the point” during a night that was “supposed to be dedicated to support and belonging.”
After the game, Roupp said his Biblical gesture reflected his moral convictions.
Why was it important to write that verse tonight?
ROUPP: “The rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant to us, and us as believers stand firm in that… There’s no hate at all.”
What would say if somebody considered that derogatory toward them as a community?
ROUPP: “As a… https://t.co/jaEs3ikn4U pic.twitter.com/yYOaJ0UvE7
— KNBR (@KNBR) June 13, 2026
“The rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant with us, and we as believers stand firm in that … There’s no hate at all,” he told reporters. “It’s just what I stand for and what I stand in, I believe in God.”
“What would you say if somebody considered that derogatory toward them as a community?” a reporter asked him.
“As a believer, I would push them to read the Bible. God has blessed me in so many ways, and I don’t think I’d be here right now if it wasn’t for Him.”
Roupp was not alone. His pitch reliever, Sam Hentges, refused to wear the hat at all, for a very similar reason.
“I don’t morally support it,” he said.
A recent Gallup poll showed that Roupp and Hentges are not alone, revealing declining support for LGBTQ+ issues across the board.
The poll said same-sex marriage support dropped to 65%, which is down 6 points, and moral acceptance of gay/lesbian relations stood at 62% — the lowest since 2016.
The decline in support was driven largely by Republicans, with only 35% approving of same-sex marriage, the lowest level since 2011. The percentage of Americans who view gender transitions as morally acceptable also fell to 38%.
.png)
.png)
