Buster Posey addresses Giants’ Pride Night controversy, but declines to answer questions
Buster Posey addresses Giants’ Pride Night controversy, but declines to answer questions
A handful of Giants players, including pitcher Landen Roupp, altered their hats on San Francisco's Pride Night. John Hefti / Imagn Images
By Andrew Baggarly and Grant BrisbeeJune 23, 2026 Updated 8:12 pm EDTSAN FRANCISCO — On Tuesday, not long after Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred slammed the San Francisco Giants for a lack of leadership and communication with players over Pride Night uniforms, advancing a cultural and social firestorm that has engulfed the franchise, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey made himself available to the media in the home dugout.
Posey’s response? No communication. And no leadership.
The Giants’ former All-Star catcher opened the session with a brief statement and then declined to answer a volley of questions about the Pride Night controversy on June 12 in which four players wrote Bible verses on their hats with a rainbow logo or declined to wear the hat entirely.
“I understand that there’s strong feelings on this topic,” Posey said. “There’s differing perspectives and out of respect to everybody involved, it’s not something I’m going to revisit. I understand some fans are upset and frustrated. I can promise you this is something that we’ve talked about a lot internally and will continue to do so. Our focus is on the team right now, the upcoming draft, the trade deadline and trying to win games. Anyone who has baseball questions, I’m happy to take baseball questions right now.”
What was Posey’s response to Manfred’s charge that the team didn’t do enough to educate players about league policies and whether they were obligated to wear the rainbow hats? Or to the perceived lack of leadership displayed by Tony Vitello, the former University of Tennessee coach whom Posey made the unprecedented decision to hire as manager and has appeared overmatched and overwhelmed in every aspect in his first season?
Deflection.
“I’m going to answer baseball questions,” Posey said.
Posey even deflected a question asking why he won’t answer questions about an issue that has touched a nerve within the fan base and the larger Bay Area community. A team media relations representative interrupted to say that the session would end if the Pride Night questions persisted.
The Giants also declined to make upper-level executives available such as CEO Larry Baer or chairman Greg Johnson and said that the club’s statement from last week would be the organization’s only comment at this time.
“The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community … We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations,” the statement noted. “We understand the choice by individual players has caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all.”
Rob Manfred blames Giants’ ‘inadequate’ communication for Pride Night uproar
In a letter to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), MLB commissioner says Giants players won't be punished for writing Biblical messages on Pride hats.
The controversy began on June 12, when the Giants celebrated their annual Pride Night with rainbow-colored Giants logos on their caps, as well as pregame events and postgame fireworks. One Giants pitcher, Sam Hentges, declined to wear the hat and three others — JT Brubaker, Ryan Walker and the scheduled starting pitcher, Landen Roupp — opted to write a variation of verses from Book of Genesis on their caps.
The players later received a warning from Major League Baseball regarding the messages, and in an expanded statement, the league made it clear that the warning was about the existence of handwritten messages, not their content, writing, “To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” and, “We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad,’ ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom’ and names of family members.”
This did not satisfy Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who sent a letter to Manfred, accusing MLB of what he claimed seemed to be a “pattern of discrimination within MLB against baseball players who profess their Christian faith.” The Department of Justice also launched an investigation into how the league handled the matter.
In his response to Hawley, which became public Monday, Manfred focused blame not on the league but the Giants. He sent a three-page letter that detailed the specifics of the warning and reiterated it was for handwritten messages of any kind. The letter also explained why the Giants were allowed to wear special caps for Pride Night, saying the team enjoyed “grandfathered” status. Manfred cited communication issues between the team and its players for Pride Night, saying it wasn’t good enough.
“Unfortunately, this year the Giants’ communication with players was inadequate and not clear,” Manfred wrote in the letter. “Some players apparently did not understand that they had the option to wear their normal uniform and elected to add messages to their hats bearing the pride logo as a result.”
Was the breakdown in communication truly between the Giants and their players, or between the team and the league? Even if the Giants could provide more clarity on that question — and potentially defend themselves from Manfred’s critical characterization — they aren’t willing to provide it at present.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
