MLB backed Mark Teixeira’s congressional campaign before his Giants’ Pride Night criticism

MLB backed Mark Teixeira's congressional campaign before his Giants' Pride Night criticism.

Key points

• "I played in the major leagues for 14 years, " Teixeira informed Fox News on June 30.
• That evening, the San Francisco Giants hosted a Pride Night event.
• More: 5 sports figures running for office in 2026 election.
• After the controversy, Manfred remarked the league office would review all donations before "any checks are cut."

MLB backed Mark Teixeira's congressional campaign before his Giants' Pride Night criticism. Blake Schuster USA TODAY. What players, team owners want in MLB salary cap debate.

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For context, the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball PAC donated $5, 000 to former All-Star Mark Teixeira's congressional campaign on June 8, 2026, according to Federal Election Commission filings USA TODAY Sports reviewed. Teixeira's campaign confirmed receipt on June 12. That evening, the San Francisco Giants hosted a Pride Night event. It teixeira forcefully condemned in the after weeks.

Teixeira, running as a Republican in Texas' 21st District, criticized a warning MLB sent to some Giants players who protested the evening by writing bible verses on their Pride Night hats. MLB remarked the players violated league uniform policies. Teixeira called the warning an attempt to "silence" Christian athletes.

"I played in the major leagues for 14 years, " Teixeira informed Fox News on June 30. "We play 162 games a year, we don't have these conversations. We don't take political stances. It's a hard job playing baseball and bringing something like a pride night and forcing players to wear a cap. Whether that was the rule or not, that's what it looked like." MLB did not respond to USA TODAY Sports' request for comment.

More: 5 sports figures running for office in 2026 election. Who's funding them?

For context, the league has a long history of political contributions and has previously requested candidates return donations. In 2018, MLB requested the return of $5, 000 it offered to the campaign of Mississippi republican Cindy Hyde-Smith. That request came two weeks after she appeared in a video joking regarding attending "public hangings."

"It's hard when you have an organization as large as ours, with as many issues that are impacted by the political process, to be completely out, " Manfred remarked after the Hyde-Smith donation. "We are very cognizant, however, that in today's world, those kind of donations run the risk of being controversial with segments of our society." Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around MLB backed Mark Teixeiras congressional campaign before his Giants Pride Night criticism point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.