Clayton Kershaw Points to Genesis 9 at Dodgers Pride Night
Los Angeles Dodgers Clayton Kershaw, a Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, made headlines last weekend after he added a Bible reference to his uniform during the team's 12th annual Pride Night game. During Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants, Kershaw was seen wearing a Dodgers hat with a rainbow-colored team logo as well as the message "Gen 9:12-16" was also written on the front, a reference to Genesis 9:12-16.
The Bible reference in question touches on God's promise to Noah after the Great Flood that He will never flood the earth again, with a rainbow as a sign of the covenant.
The Scripture states: "And God said, 'This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth, and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.'"
Kershaw's actions were met with both praise and criticism online.
"Clayton Kershaw will always be a Dodger great, but it's things like this that make him a lot less likable," one person wrote on X. "Just wear the hat. Be a tolerant Christian and accept that there are others who believe differently than you."
Clayton Kershaw will always be a Dodger great, but it’s things like this that make him a lot less likable. Just wear the hat. Be a tolerant Christian and accept that there are others who believe differently than you. pic.twitter.com/BHBeRrCYIx
— cal west (@cw_cardenas) June 14, 2025
Jon Root, a Christian and conservative commentator, said in response that Christians aren't supposed to be "'tolerant' of ungodly lifestyles that God calls an 'abomination' in His Word."
He added, "Acceptance of sin, IS SIN. Christian are called to not 'conform to this world'."
"Glad Kershaw used his platform to share the truth," Root said.
Shoutout to Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who wrote Genesis 9:12-16 on his Pride hat to remind everyone that the rainbow is a sign of God’s covenant 👏 pic.twitter.com/YMJAlxlNU7
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) June 14, 2025
Kershaw, a member of the Methodist Church, previously opposed his team's decision in 2023 to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a drag and performance group known for its satirical religious imagery, during the Dodgers' Pride Night game.
"I don't agree with making fun of other people's religions," Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, said at the time. "It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don't think that no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else's religion. So, that's something that I definitely don't agree with."
He also clarified that he intended to speak out against the group rather than boycott Pride Night, Fox News reported.
"This has nothing to do with the LGBTQ community or Pride or anything like that," Kershaw told the Los Angeles Times. "This is simply a group that was making fun of a religion that I don't agree with."
The Dodgers, who faced backlash at the time, announced that they would relaunch Christian Faith and Family Day on July 30, 2023, for the first time since 2019.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to talk about Jesus and determined to make it bigger and better than it was before COVID. Hope to see you on July 30!" Kershaw wrote in a May 2023 post.
Excited to announce the relaunch of Christian Faith and Family Day at Dodger Stadium on July 30th. More details to come— but we are grateful for the opportunity to talk about Jesus and determined to make it bigger and better than it was before COVID. Hope to see you on July 30th! pic.twitter.com/yNu7HyEgR9
— Clayton Kershaw (@ClaytonKersh22) May 26, 2023
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Diamond Images/Contributor
Originally published June 16, 2025.
