The MLB has taken a different stance when it comes to Pride month in 2023.
A report by the Tampa Bay Times on Friday, June 9 revealed that the league informed teams at an owners meeting in February that it would be discouraging using space on uniform’s to “promote specific causes.” This could range from Pride to Mother’s Day.
This drove the Tampa Bay Rays to change their Pride festivities, removing the rainbow-colored patches and logos on the team jersey in exchange for a single large sign at Tropicana Field’s right field wall that reads “Baseball is for everyone.”
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The Rays were the center of Pride-related controversy in 2022 after several of their relief pitchers decided to remove the Pride patches on their jerseys before a game in which the rest of the team kept their Pride gear on.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred addressed the media on Thursday, June 15, explaining that the MLB's decision is to “protect the players,” according to Washington Post reporter Chelsea Janes.
“We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases, that we don’t think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players,” Manfred said.
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This year 29 of the league’s 30 teams are still holding Pride Night in some capacity. The Texas Rangers are the lone team that do not have plans for a Pride themed-night.
The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are still expected to wear Pride patches this year due to a preexisting agreement, but the Rays opted against circling back on discussing the matter with the team.
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