Blake Treinen Discusses MLB Warning Over Hat Message
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen shared that Major League Baseball (MLB) reached out to him after he displayed the name of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a hat during a game. This incident occurred last season, specifically in September 2025, as Treinen honored Kirk by writing his name along with two crosses on his cap, following the tragic event of Kirk’s passing.
According to Treinen, after the game, league officials informed him that MLB rules prohibit players from including personal messages or statements on their uniforms while playing. He mentioned this during a conversation with the Los Angeles Times and later with the California Post.
“When we brought Charlie in, we received criticism from the league,” Treinen noted. He reflected on the serious nature of the situation: “The reason his name was on my hat last year was because a man was murdered in cold blood.”
While Treinen stated that the conversation didn’t lead to any formal penalties, he was cautioned that future infractions might incur fines.
This matter gained attention again when reports surfaced about several San Francisco Giants pitchers being approached by the league for writing Bible verses on their caps during the team’s Pride Night event. “Right now, these gentlemen relievers in San Francisco are being criticized by the league for writing Bible verses on their hats. That seems crazy to me,” he expressed.
MLB clarified that writing on caps violated their uniform rules, asserting that the players’ lack of discipline was noted, but emphasized that the warning was not tied to the religious nature of the inscriptions.
“Writing on the cap is a violation of our rules, and we have warned players about future violations as part of regular practice,” the league stated. They later added that this warning was standard and not aimed at any specific content players might display.
Treinen also drew attention during the Dodgers’ Pride Night earlier this month by opting not to wear a Pride-themed cap when pitching against the Los Angeles Angels on June 5. Instead, he chose to wear a standard team-issued uniform. “My job is to follow the rules,” he remarked. “Ultimately, the only rule we have is to wear team-issued uniforms, so that’s what I decided to do.”
