29 MLB teams get gay for Pride Night. One stubbornly refuses.
From Pride jerseys to Pride caps, rainbows are breaking out all around baseball this June, except for the usual suspect.
Mark
So much of baseball’s appeal lies in the unmistakable sounds of the game.
The crack of the bat.
The pop of a fastball in the catcher’s mitt.
“Party in the USA.”
Yes, it’s time once again to make 29 ballparks across the nation fiercer than they’ve ever been with the return of MLB Pride Nights.
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With that comes another deep dive into how each team is celebrating June with the 2026 Outsports MLB Pride Guide. This year, all the usual MLB Pride titans are back with new eleganza rainbow jerseys. Happily, a few teams who were safe last year also really stepped up their games.
Of course, there are a few clubs whose Pride Nights can be summed up as “at least we’re gayer than the Texas Rangers.” And alas, said Rangers are still approaching Pride like they plan to move to Belarus.
Still, this is the best time of year to be a baseball gay and many of these teams are about to show the sports world why.
Arizona Diamondbacks: June 5 vs. Washington Nationals
Usually, Arizona’s jerseys consist of their abbreviated “D-backs” moniker or their snakehead “A” logo. But this year’s Pride jersey features all 12 letters of their nickname — which is great because it provides ample space to highlight every color of the Progress Pride rainbow.
Additionally, the calendar turning to June also means we’ve reached the one month every year when Dale Scott throws more pitches than Tarik Skubal. Scott will be delivering the first pitch at Chase Field and if he wants to make it the greatest pitch in Pride Night history, the retired umpire just has to tap his head to challenge the call.
Atlanta Braves: June 4 vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Truist Park is surrounded by an appallingly fake neighborhood designed for suburbanites to pretend they’re in a “city” that apparently banned multiculturalism in favor of TopGolf and Indoor Skydiving. Dubbed “The Battery,” it’s also lacking a gay bar.
During Braves Pride, however, the Coca-Cola Roxy next to the ballpark transforms into the closest thing to one with the team’s annual pregame LGBTQ party. Braves fans can attend wearing a sharp rainbow script Atlanta T-shirt through a Pride ticket package. It’s the closest that The Battery will get to a genuine queer space — until they finally replace Shake Shack with The Eagle.
Baltimore Orioles: June 26 vs. Washington Nationals
This has become one of baseball’s signature Pride Nights and I was lucky enough to experience it in person last year. As a history nerd and Your Friendly Neighborhood Baseball Gay, there’s something stirring about seeing rainbow PRIDE banners hanging from the same space on the Camden Yards warehouse that commemorated Cal Ripken’s record-breaking 2,131 consecutive games.
For 2026, the Orioles are giving away Pride jerseys to the first 15,000 fans featuring their City Connect flourish B logo in rainbow colors. It’s a perfectly striking look, but if they made that beautiful insignia about 50% bigger to really draw the eye, the O’s could’ve landed in the top — the way everything else about their Pride Night does.
Photo by Ken Schultz
Boston Red Sox: June 16 vs. Toronto Blue Jays
The Red Sox are celebrating Boston’s role as a 2026 World Cup host city in two ways. For Pride Night, they’ve unveiled dynamic rainbow zigzag soccer jerseys. And all season long, the Sox offense has hit like the game is going to end in a nil-nil draw.
No matter what kind of mood Boston fans are in, Pride Night at Fenway is always a special atmosphere from the concourse transforming into a drag show runway to the annual pregame party on the right field Sam Deck.
As for the game itself, the Sox will try to win it on penalty kicks.
Chicago Cubs: June 15 vs. Colorado Rockies
One of the most inspiring sights at Wrigley Field is when Gallagher Way is packed with LGBTQ fans for the Cubs Pride Celebration’s pregame social gathering. The atmosphere feels like the Cubs are bridging the divide between the Boystown and Wrigleyville neighborhoods, which exist just two blocks apart but often feel like they’re in different universes.
That feeling of unity also comes together on this year’s inspiring Pride jersey. There is no greater compliment to describe it than this…
With No. 26 on the back and a Boystown Legacy Walk monument on the chest, this is the only piece of baseball merch I’ve ever seen that pays homage to Billy Williams and Marsha P. Johnson.
It’s a remarkable fusion of LGBTQ history and Cubs baseball — like Sally Ride chugging a beer bat in zero gravity or Cole Porter writing a musical about stranding runners in scoring position.
Photo by Ken Schultz
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Chicago White Sox: June 10 vs. Atlanta Braves
Just like the suddenly electric team they’ve put on the field, the White Sox have put together the most improved Pride promotion in 2026. Designed by gay South Side native Tee Sanders (we love a local artist collab!), this Sox cap features a Freedom Day patch honoring Stonewall and Obergefell. Its strongest feature is the under brim illustration of the Chicago skyline draped in Progress Pride flags, as if the Pale Hose just signed the artist Christo’s secret gay twin.
Take one of the most sublime views on the planet, make it extra queer, and this cap is a Munetaka Murakami uppercut swing connecting with a hanging slider: an absolute thing of majesty. Well done, White Sox!
Cincinnati Reds: May 29 vs. Atlanta Braves
For this year’s Pride Night, the Reds hosted their annual postgame fireworks show and gave away rainbow script logo crossbody bags. Every season, the Reds Pride promo item is always perfectly fine but one year, I’d like to see them take a big swing and see if they can put together something really special.
Of course, Reds fans have been wishing they’d try that with their roster for decades.
Cleveland Guardians: June 8 vs. New York Yankees
The Guards are giving out a Progress Pride block C cap and unveiling a new “Party in the Pennant District” social space with unlimited food and live entertainment. But that’s not the headline here.
For Cleveland’s entry in last year’s Pride Guide, I compared the city’s protracted baseball championship drought to its newly crowned Drag Race winner and wrote, “If the Guardians finally want to break their curse, the solution is obvious: invite Onya Nurve.”
Lo and behold, for the 2026 Pride Celebration, the Guards have booked Miss Nurve to throw out the first pitch.
I regret to inform the other 29 teams in baseball that your World Series dreams are officially over. Onya is the biggest legend to trod a Cleveland pitcher’s mound since Bob Feller. And Rapid Robert could never remember the words to “Abracadabra.”
Colorado Rockies: June 5 vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Here’s an interesting idea: Colorado is rolling out a throwback Pride jersey design based on a rainbow sleeveless version of their 1993 expansion era lewk. It makes my closeted high school self from that year want to ask the Rockies, “Wait…were you secretly checking out Andres Galarraga’s tight pants too?”
Detroit Tigers: June 23 vs. New York Yankees
My first reaction is that this Olde English D belt bag is way too vanilla.
Literally. They didn’t even bother to add a rainbow to the logo.
I don’t think Tan France is scheduled to appear at Tigers Pride Night but don’t be surprised if this giveaway makes him materialize out of thin air.
Houston Astros: June 3 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Intriguingly, the Astros are throwing back to the Houston Rockets’ glory era with this year’s swag: a Pride basketball jersey. The combination of the Stros’ navy blue and rainbow gradient pinstripes is serving Hakeem Olajuwon realness and I’m here for it.
Kansas City Royals: June 10 vs. Texas Rangers
There was a time in the 1990s when half the teams in baseball needlessly forced black into their color schemes in order to seem “edgy.” For this year’s Pride jersey design, the Royals bizarrely opted for just such a black background (despite literally sharing a name with a shade of blue) and horizontal rainbow stripes down the sides.
The design is giving “What if the Royals joined Public Enemy…but made it gay?”
Alas, based on KC’s current record, all it takes is a nation of Bailey Obers and Erick Feddes to hold them back.
Los Angeles Angels: June 3 vs. Colorado Rockies
Last year, I fired up the ol’ snark machine to mock the Angels for their plain jane Pride cap design. “There are many, many colors in the rainbow. Gray is not one of them,” I sneered.
It appears they took that personally.
The 2026 Angels Pride jersey has dropped and good news! They’ve incorporated the rainbow.
The bad news? You can practically hear a replacement-level Seinfeld clone yelling, “WHY DON’T THEY MAKE THE WHOLE JERSEY OUT OF THE RAINBOW?”
Gazing at this ungodly huge rainbow on a red background, it appears the team is about to change their name to the Los Angeles Skittles of Anaheim.
Los Angeles Dodgers: June 5 vs. Los Angeles Angels
Understandably, the big story from Dodgers Pride Night is the new exhibit honoring Glenn Burke and Billy Bean in Dodger Stadium’s center field plaza. All that needs to be said is this: A tribute to these two gay trailblazers is about to become a permanent part of one of the most iconic sports venues in America.
Fellow gay baseball icon Maybelle Blair will be in attendance to witness the dedication and throw out a first pitch. Dodgers Pride is always special but this one in particular is historic.
As for the promo? It’s an elegant gray pullover with the classic Dodgers script outlined in rainbow colors. The back features a modest proclamation: the Pride of Champions.
That’s weird…I didn’t even know that gayness had a postseason. In addition to their triumph over the Blue Jays, congrats to the Dodgers on beating Shane Hollander, Chappell Roan, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and Truly Hard Seltzer, I guess?
Miami Marlins: June 5 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
Last year, the Marlins shocked the world by taking the Outsports Pride Guide crown with their ingenious rainbow gradient jerseys. Alas, longtime Marlins fans know what happens next whenever the Fish win anything: ownership sells off all their talent for another decade-long rebuilding effort.
In Pride terms, that would mean a plain Gildan undershirt with a Sharpie drawing of a flounder holding a sign reading “happy brat summer.” (Available only in Sizes 0-3 Months and XXXXL)
Never fret, Miami! The Marlins put effort into their 2026 Pride jerseys and they’re fire once again! The rainbow pinstripes and warm colors on left/cool colors in the right sleeve design are the right kind of audacious style choices.
Next year…maybe a rainbow with teal?
Milwaukee Brewers: June 12 vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Once again, the Brewers aren’t announcing any giveaways for their Pride Night. So your best hope for making the evening special is figuring out a way to surreptitiously slap a “POPPERS” label onto Barrelman.
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Minnesota Twins: June 12 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
You know how hard it is to avoid giving in to the temptation to spew out a hacky “This year, Minnesota summer falls on a Tuesday” one-liner and try to write something original instead? The Pride Guide holds itself to a much higher standard and I would never want to stoop to the lowest common denominator like that.
Then the Twins go and announce they’re giving away TC Pride hoodies. In June.
Sigh.
We’re a couple years away from Target Field passing out rainbow mukluks, aren’t we?
New York Mets: June 26 vs. Philadelphia Phillies
In addition to their usual DJ set and themed cocktails, the Mets will be honoring this year’s LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame honorees in a pregame ceremony. With luminaries like Nikki Hiltz, Robin Roberts and Bill Kennedy in attendance, Mets fans will finally have their first opportunity to cheer literally anybody at Citi Field all year.
For their Pride ticket package, the Amazin’s rolled out a sleeveless jersey with white Mets script on a white background and rainbow outlines. For the glass half-full crowd, it’s the perfect uniform for a Pride white party. For the other 99% of Mets devotees, a jersey based on the color of surrender is a little on the nose.
New York Yankees: June 17 vs. Chicago White Sox
A rainbow NY cap for Legacy of Pride Night? Groundbreaking.
But look at it this way: over the past 16 years, the Yankees have still designed more Pride caps than World Series rings. So that’s something.
Pittsburgh Pirates: June 11 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Bucs have planned a postgame fireworks show but haven’t announced any giveaways for their Pride Night. I’m sure they’re planning on using that money saved to extend Paul Skenes…
Yeah, I couldn’t take that sentence seriously either.
Philadelphia Phillies: June 18 vs. New York Mets
Like the Yankees, the Phils are another team that keeps going back to their rainbow cap logo again and again, although they at least changed up the headwear by putting it on a visor.
No offense but if you brought this Pride visor to a Phillies locker room bacchanal, it would be the straightest thing in there.
Sacramento A’s: June 17 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Athletics wrote “Glenn Burke Pride Night” on their promotions page and left it at that so I guess it’s up to us to speculate about how to celebrate it. Honestly, the best way honor Burke is to emulate his career and send the A’s back to Oakland.
San Diego Padres: May 1 vs. Chicago White Sox
This year, the Friars gave out block PADRES caps with each letter in a different color of the rainbow. Extra kudos to San Diego for bumping Out at the Park back a couple weeks so it finally didn’t conflict with the “Drag Race” finale. Because the only correct answer to “Nini Coco or Mason Miller?” is “¿Por qué no los dos?”
San Francisco Giants: June 12 vs. Chicago Cubs
Giants Pride Night 2026 is all about gasp-inducing sights. For starters, they will again be hosting a vow renewal ceremony for LGBTQ couples on the field. The idea of pledging love for your partner with the sparkling McCovey Cove as a backdrop is the kind of ideal setting that’s usually found in the last shot of romantic comedy movies.
Then there’s the 2026 Giants Pride jersey and it is a stunner. Designed by Oakland-based artist Favianna Rodriguez, the melange of colors totally pop and brilliantly contrast with the team hues of black and orange. Rodriguez arranges them in a series of shapes that call to mind gloves, helmets, Bay Area nature, and abstract art. Here’s a sentence that’s never been written before: it’s giving Matisse and Madison Bumgarner.
Plus there will be a special section of Oracle Park where LGBTQ fans can watch the game with SF drag performer and Pride Night host Peaches Christ. Honestly, everyone in the Peaches section is going to have more fun than anybody sitting next to Tony Vitello. Based on their top notch jersey design and incredible Pride festivities, at some point in the evening, Ms. Christ should announce…
Condragulations, Giants! You’re a winner, baby!
Seattle Mariners: June 1 vs. New York Mets and June 29 vs. Los Angeles Angels
This is a cool idea: the M’s are giving LGBTQ fans a chance to bookend their June calendars with two Pride Month games at the beginning and end. For the game on June 1, they offered a Pride jersey ticket package featuring rainbow lettering and piping on their Northwest Green alternates.
And on the 29th, they’re giving out a “Loud & Proud” rainbow compass logo T-shirt. It looks great on their website but it’ll look even better on Julio Rodríguez.
Cooler still: the Pride jersey game is already sold out. The Mariners are scheduling two Pride Nights because LGBTQ fans have proven that there’s demand for them. Kudos to you, Seattle!
St. Louis Cardinals: June 5 vs. Cincinnati Reds
Say what you want to about the Cardinals (and believe me, I have), they consistently come up with Pride merch that lives up to the standard of one of the sharpest unis in MLB. This year’s Progress Pride STL on a white cap with a navy blue bill definitely qualifies. Furthermore, since the Cards opted for a cap instead of a jersey, their Pride merch won’t get in the way of fans joining the tarps off shirtless section in the bleachers.
Busch Stadium concessions will also be featuring a Pride Punch cocktail of the night. It’s like everything about this promotion is designed to encourage bare-chested debauchery.
Dare I say…the Cardinals actually get Pride?
Tampa Bay Rays: June 20 vs. Washington Nationals
The design pitch for this year’s Rays Pride splotch cap appears to have been “What if we asked Shane McClanahan to fire a 95 MPH rainbow paintball directly at your forehead?”
Some teams add artistic flourishes to their Pride swag. The Rays’ is a little messy but it also stands out and the rainbow is undeniable. I dig it.
Toronto Blue Jays: June 5 vs. Baltimore Orioles
Perhaps nothing better sums up how much the Blue Jays understand the LGBTQ community more than the fact that they know Pride Night wouldn’t be complete without a Glam Zone AND a Bedazzle Zone. In fact, every level of Rogers Centre features a Pride installation from drag queen bingo to a DJ.
Add in a City Connect Pride cap giveaway (no special ticket package required!) featuring a rainbow maple leaf and if this night got any more Canadian and gay, Parliament would have to pass an ordinance officially recognizing the Jays as either Tegan or Sara.
Washington Nationals: June 24 vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Oh, this is fun! For this year’s Pride Night OUT jersey, the Nats are bringing back 2025’s whimsy-laden font with Progress Pride gradient colors and rainbow pinstripes. Those design choices already make this a standout but on top of all that, the Nationals have added a new twist for LGBTQ fans: a choice between sleeveless or cropped jerseys.
Pure genius. It’s like the Nats looked at what every gay kickball team does to their jerseys and thought, “Let’s beat them to it.” Now all they need to do is change their name to something like Teddy’s Big Stick Energy and they’ve nailed the assignment.
Now as per regrettable tradition, we must end with our least favorite part of the Pride Guide…
Texas Rangers: ????
Most baseball teams would want their ratio of Pride Nights to segregationist statues to be a positive number. But the Rangers have taken a different approach. Let’s see if that works out for them!
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