Will Dodgers' Political Extremism Hurt Them With Players? Catholic Group Says Team Not Interested In Changing

The Los Angeles Dodgers are rapidly becoming Major League Baseball's most controversial team.

And it's all because of an unforced error.

The Dodgers controversy started when people noticed the team was honoring an anti-Catholic drag group at their upcoming pride night event.

After initially deciding to withdraw the award, the team immediately caved to pressure from far left sportswriters and activists.

READ: DODGERS COWARDICE ON ANTI-CATHOLIC DRAG GROUP SHOWS WHO THEY REALLY VALUE

But the backlash against the team's decision making has only intensified over the past few days.

Multiple players have come out against the team's offensive sentiments, most prominently, Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw.

READ: CLAYTON KERSHAW SAYS HE DISAGREES WITH DODGERS’ DECISION TO HONOR ANTI-CATHOLIC DRAG GROUP

Another teammate, reliever Blake Treinen also spoke out against the anti-Catholic drag group.

READ: DODGERS PITCHER BLAKE TREINEN BACK TEAMMATES RELIGIOUS STANCE AGAINST DODGERS PRIDE NIGHT

Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams became one of the first opponents to criticize the team as well, writing a lengthy note urging boycotts.

Despite prominent players speaking out, the team apparently remains steadfastly committed to offending many fans and people within the game.

Fox News reported that a Catholic group reached out to the team urging them to reconsider their stance. And the response shows once again, that liberal activist politics are their top priority. No matter the cost.

"We them a letter last week asking for a phone call or a meeting, in part because they had announced that they were listening to all sides," CatholicVote President Brian Burch told Fox. "And to our knowledge, they had not spoken with or reached out in any way to a Catholic leader, religious or lay like ourselves."

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 05: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Dodgers Response Could Hurt Them Down The Road

The team did agree to speak with Burch, although their responses were extremely disappointing.

"So we did receive an email in response to our letter, and that turned into a phone call that I had yesterday with a top-level Dodgers executive," Burch explained. "He said that it's been very hectic there, that he's been extremely busy, and that he had little time to talk with me but wanted to reach out in response to the letter."

"I said, 'well, if there's still a chance that you might reconsider your decision, please let me know, and we will withhold the ad campaign that we are planning to launch this week,'" Burch said.

" said [he] cannot do that. I asked when we would be able to talk next, and he said in the next couple of weeks — maybe even after Pride night. And so that seems to me to be a signal that they are obstinate in their decision to go forward to celebrate an anti-Catholic hate group."

When asked whether the team would respond, they deflected.

"We have no comment," said Senior Director of Public Relations Joe Jareck to Fox News Digital.

Clearly, the Dodgers have no intention of backing down from their humiliating cowardice. As we've seen, the team cares significantly more about offending liberal activists than their own players.

But what they haven't considered is what this could mean for them going forward.

Will Players Avoid Coming To LA?

It seems ridiculous, but could the team's purposeful disregard for religious players hurt them down the road?

Clayton Kershaw is the most prominent example, as a free agent after the 2023 season. Would their dismissal of his concerns be enough to push him to Texas?

Or for potential free agents with deeply held religious beliefs, could this be enough for them to go elsewhere? If one organization clearly doesn't value those who don't like groups purposefully mocking religious beliefs, why sign with them?

It may seem unlikely, but there were reports last season that star pitcher Jacob deGrom wanted out of New York in part because of the city's COVID mandates.

READ: DID JACOB DEGROM LEAVE NEW YORK BECAUSE OF COVID MANDATES?

Players take any number of factors into account when making signing decisions. Obviously money being the primary component.

But if two offers are similar and one team's displayed hostility to your religious views, why choose them?

The Dodgers' cowardice and political priorities may not be enough to push players away. But if it costs them even one free agent, will they still think it's worth ignoring religious objections?

Given the "top executive's" statements, they might. At least they know they'll be able to keep their three Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employees.