It’s been a rough start to Pride Month for LGBTQ baseball fans.

Following the news of future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw objecting to the Dodgers honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a few of the game’s lesser lights like Trevor Williams and Blake Treinen joined in piling on.

Combined with Anthony Bass sharing a post calling for a boycott of Target for stocking Pride merchandise and the Miami Marlins completely ignoring their own Pride Night on social media, it’s clear that our community could use an ally among MLB players.

Enter Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman, who celebrated the beginning of June with a tweet that stated his unequivocal support, writing, “Happy Pride Month! We should always be accepting of those who take pride in who they are. Love is love no matter what.”

To emphasize his words, Stroman also added a rainbow flag and a shouting emoji to underscore the need to amplify LGBTQ support.

Later that afternoon, Stroman showed that his support went deeper than a simple social media post by announcing donations to three LGBTQ-related charities representing each home city where he has pitched.

Brave Space Alliance is a Black and Trans-led LGBTQ community center located on Chicago’s south side. Stroman’s New York-based charity, Hetrick-Martin Institute, provides a safe space for LGBTQ youth between ages 13 and 24. And north of the border, The 519 is a counseling and community headquarters in Toronto, where Stroman began his big league career.

This is not the first time Stroman has taken a public stand for the community. As part of his tweet, he attached a photo of himself on the field wearing a “Love Is Love” rainbow warm-up shirt from a previous Pride Night during his time with the Mets.

Stroman has also walked the walk in support of LGBTQ fans beyond Pride month. Following a contest on July 27, 2021, the two-time All Star wore a rainbow logo Mets cap during his postgame news conference.

In 2023, Stroman has latched on to his role as ace of the Cubs pitching staff, throwing six shutout innings on Opening Day, turning in a complete game, one-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays this past Monday, and putting himself on track for another All-Star berth.

Even in the context of this sterling on-field performance, the highlight of Stroman’s year might be stepping up for the LGBTQ community at a time when we needed a player to have our backs. Here’s hoping more of his peers follow his lead.

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