MLB in hot water with ongoing Pride Night controversies

The GIST: On the eve of Pride Month, MLB is making all the wrong headlines, with ongoing controversy surrounding the LA Dodgers’ upcoming Pride Night and a Toronto Blue Jays pitcher sharing anti-LGBTQIA+ posts. A major whiff.

LA Dodgers Pride Night: ICYMI: earlier this month, the Dodgers disinvited then promptly re-invited a non-profit LGBTQIA+ advocacy group called the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to their June 16th Pride Night. The Sisters have long been at the forefront of the LGBTQIA+ movement and use drag attire mixed with religious imagery to “expose the forces of bigotry.”

• The Dodgers initially cited “the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the sisters’ inclusion” as their reasoning for rescinding, then reversed course after facing significant backlash from the LGBTQIA+ community and beyond.

• But the story doesn’t end there. Washington Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams issued a statement no one asked for yesterday, saying he’s “deeply troubled” by the Dodgers’ support of the Sisters, while beloved Dodger Clayton Kershaw said he did not agree with the team’s decision to include them. Give us a break.

Anthony Bass: On Monday, the already controversial Jays relief hurler shared a video on social media endorsing boycotts of Target and Bud Light due to the companies’ Pride campaigns.

• Bass issued an “apology” yesterday, saying that he’ll better educate himself moving forward and that the “ball park is for everybody,” but many are still calling for the Jays to drop him, especially with their own Pride Night set for next weekend.