LGBTQ Pride Night and Dodgers’ Response
LGBTQ Pride Night is something that every Major League Baseball team celebrates, with the Los Angeles Dodgers leading the way—well, unless you happen to be the Texas Rangers. The Dodgers took this tradition to heart by honoring “LGBTQ pioneers” Glenn Burke and Billy Beane (not the “Moneyball” Billy Beane) right in the center field. On top of that, the entire team donned pride-colored hats for the event, except for one player.
Blake Treinen, a relief pitcher for the Dodgers, is known for his open Christian faith and conservative views. He made his feelings clear regarding the team’s decision to welcome the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group known for its controversial performances. Treinen expressed, “I was disappointed to see the Sisters of Eternal Indulgence being celebrated as heroes at Dodger Stadium. Many of their performances were blasphemous, and their works only show hatred and mockery of Catholics and the Christian faith.”
After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Treinen made a subtle yet powerful gesture by writing Kirk’s name on the side of his hat, which also featured a Christian cross. This was in the wake of an exhilarating Game 7 victory over Toronto in which he played a crucial role. He mentioned, “This is a blessing from the Lord on my body. I’ve been praying to be ready and available for my team when they need me.”
When given the chance to take a stand for his Christian beliefs, Treinen chose not to participate in any displays of LGBTQ pride, opting instead to adhere to his moral and biblical convictions. While teammates like shortstop Mookie Betts and manager Dave Roberts opted to wear the pride hats, Treinen stood firm.
It’s noteworthy that Alex Cole, another openly Christian player on the team, was seen wearing a headband during the event. Interestingly, despite his strong beliefs, I couldn’t tell if he wore the pride hat while in the dugout; it’s commendable that he maintains his stance.
Former Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw also weighed in, reminding everyone of Genesis 9:12-16, which conveys that the rainbow is a sign of God’s promise not to flood the earth again, as during Noah’s time.
I personally support Treinen’s choice and believe it’s something every Christian athlete might consider. It’s not about harboring hate or animosity toward those who identify as LGBTQ; it’s about upholding beliefs that differ from contemporary sexual ethics, which cover transgender, homosexual, bisexual, or non-binary identities. Just as we wouldn’t expect a non-Christian athlete to wear a hat with a cross, the same consideration should apply here.
This situation reflects an ongoing issue faced by athletes across various sports. The NHL, for instance, stopped using Pride jerseys during warmups because Christian players felt stuck between their religious principles and the demands to don those jerseys. Players like Ivan Provorov and James Reimer faced harsh backlash for opting out, highlighting the pressure to conform.
The controversy has made things tricky for everyone involved and has resulted in the NHL removing specialty warm-up jerseys altogether. Although they’ve since reversed their ban on Pride tape, MLB might want to think about a similar approach, allowing players to opt out of Pride-themed attire without facing backlash.
In my view, if events like faith and family nights are limited to community activations rather than stadium-wide events, then perhaps Pride Nights could operate on a similar model. That might just be a positive direction to take.
So, hats off to Blake Treinen. He embodies a mission that truly reflects his values. In a conversation with CBN Sports’ Will Dawson, he stated, “How can I make Heaven a hit? That’s really my goal…When I’m welcomed into the gates of Heaven, I want them to say, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.'”
