Unless you’re the Texas Rangers, LGBTQ Pride Night has become a tradition for every Major League Baseball team, including the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team went as far as unveiling a tribute in centerfield to “LGBTQ trailblazers” Glenn Burke and Billy Bean (no, not the “Moneyball” Billy Beane). The whole team also wore pride-colored hats for the occasion. All but one.
Dodgers relief pitcher Blake Treinen is an outspoken Christian who has been unashamed to share his faith and conservative thoughts. When the Dodgers decided to reinvite and honor the anti-Christian drag nun group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, he made his stance clear. Treinen said that he was “disappointed to see The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence being honored as heroes at Dodger Stadium. Many of their performances are blasphemous, and their work only displays hate and mockery of Catholics and the Christian faith.”
After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Treinen made a subtle, yet profound statement by writing Kirk’s name on the side of his hat bordered by christian crosses.
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Following the Dodgers’ thrilling Game 7 victory over Toronto, where Treinen was the winning pitcher, he said , “It’s the favor of the Lord on my body. I’ve been praying just to be ready and able for this team when they need me.”
When presented with the opportunity to make another bold stance for his Christian faith, Treinen refused to participate in the display of the LGBTQ pride and stuck to his moral and biblical convictions. While other self-professed Christians on his team, including shortstop Mookie Betts and manager Dave Roberts, decided to follow the crowd by wearing the hats, Treinen refused.
For clarification, another outspoken Christian on the team, catcher Alex Call, could be seen wearing a headband throughout the evening. He was also the player who dumped the water cooler on Freddie Freeman after his walk-off home run sealed a 1-0 victory. Because of that, I couldn’t tell from rewatching the broadcast whether Call ever wore the hat while he was in the dugout. If he refused to wear it as well, I applaud him.
Notably, now-retired Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw wrote Genesis 9:12-16 as a reminder that the rainbow is a actually a sign of God’s covenant never to flood the earth again like He did in the days of the prophet Noah.
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As a Christian, I wholeheartedly support Treinen’s decision and I believe this is what every Christian athlete should be doing in these situations. No, that of course does not mean Treinen, nor any other athlete “hates” or has any sort of ill wishes for LGBTQ-identifying fans or people. It just means that they are standing firm in their faith, which does not align with the modern sexual ethic of transgenderism, homosexuality, bisexuality, non-binary identification, etc. Just as I wouldn’t expect a non-Christian athlete to wear a hat with a cross on it if there was a Christian Night in Major League Baseball.
There’s a reason the NHL moved away from Pride jerseys during warmups. Christian players were often put in a position where they felt they had to choose between their religious convictions and wearing the jersey. Those who declined frequently faced intense criticism from media outlets and activists. Just look at the reaction to former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov and former San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer when they chose not to participate.
The controversy created a difficult situation for everyone involved and ultimately contributed to the NHL’s decision to discontinue specialty warmup jerseys. While the league later reversed course on its ban of Pride tape, MLB should consider a similar approach when it comes to Pride-themed jerseys and hats, allowing players to opt out without controversy or pressure.
If Faith and Family Night — which is often centered around Christian groups — isn’t a stadium-wide event and is instead limited to a community activation where attendees can purchase tickets in a designated section and receive themed merchandise, then Pride Night should follow the same model. In my view, that would be a step in the right direction.
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Well done, Blake Treinen. This is just another example of the mission that guides his life. Speaking with Will Dawson of CBN Sports, Treinen said, “How do we make heaven crowded? That’s really my goal… When I am welcomed into the gates of heaven, I want to hear, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.'”
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