By Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen took the mound Friday night wearing a cap inscribed with the name of Charlie Kirk and marked with a bold Christian cross—a quiet but unmistakable homage to the slain conservative commentator. The moment, delivered during a tense National League West battle against the San Francisco Giants, immediately captured the attention of fans and broadcasters.
Kirk was assassinated by a leftwing radical who parroted Democratic talking points about “fascism” while visiting Utah Valley State University.
For Treinen, the tribute reflected both personal conviction and national mourning. “My connection to Christ is the foundation of everything I do out there,” the 37-year-old pitcher explained earlier this week. “Every pitch is an act of devotion—drawing that cross in the dirt and glancing skyward reminds me and everyone watching who truly guides my hand.”
BREAKING:
The Dodgers closing pitcher, Blake Treinen, has "Charlie Kirk" written on his hat, with a cross on each side. pic.twitter.com/CceoqUU19K
— Evan Kilgore 🇺🇸 (@EvanAKilgore) September 13, 2025
Kirk, the 31-year-old co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday during a campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem. Authorities described the killing as a targeted “political assassination.” Within 24 hours, police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson of Utah after relatives tipped investigators. “We will pursue justice to the full extent of the law in this senseless act of violence,” Governor Spencer Cox said. The FBI has since offered a $100,000 reward for additional leads.
The tribute also carried added weight because of the Dodgers’ recent history with matters of faith. Just last year, the team faced fierce backlash when it reversed its decision to disinvite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence—an anti-Catholic transgender activist group notorious for mocking religious rituals—from its annual Pride Night. The group has staged “hunky Jesus” contests, replaced the Eucharist with condoms, and even parodied the Stations of the Cross as a pub crawl.
Initially removed from the honoree list after Christian outcry, the Dodgers later apologized to the group and reinstated them. “After much thoughtful feedback from our diverse communities… we would like to offer our sincerest apologies to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,” the team said at the time, adding that the “trans nuns” would be honored on the field. For many Catholics, the decision signaled a broader hostility toward their faith. Tim Carney of The Washington Examiner described the episode as proof that “when the Los Angeles Dodgers talk about ‘acceptance’ and fly the pride flag, they are not being pluralistic but are flying their own religious symbol.”
That backdrop made Treinen’s act stand out sharply. In a club long criticized for aligning with groups that many religious fans view as mocking Christianity, the reliever’s public invocation of faith—and his decision to emblazon Charlie Kirk’s name alongside the cross—was bound to shock some Dodgers supporters.
Meanwhile, Major League Baseball has joined the wave of tributes following Kirk’s assassination. At Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, where Kirk was a devoted fan, a pregame announcement called for unity. “May all of us as Americans come together in solidarity to strengthen our nation, end these senseless acts and turn to civil discourse to discuss our differences,” a message said before the game was said throughout the ballpark.
Ballparks nationwide flew flags at half-mast, in line with a White House directive extending through Sunday.
As the Dodgers and Giants continue their rivalry, Treinen’s subtle statement underscores the complexities of grief, faith, and politics on the diamond. In a city where his own club has honored activists who mock the Church, his tribute to Kirk—and the Christian cross—may prove to be one of the most polarizing gestures of this MLB season.
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