Baltimore Orioles Players Put Faith Over Baseball: ‘Christians First’

Published: October 20, 2023

Baltimore Orioles Players Put Faith Over Baseball: ‘Christians First’

By Movieguide® Contributor

The Baltimore Orioles have had a successful year, but for many of the team’s players, their faith has a lot to do with that.

“A lot of guys prioritize that (faith),” pitcher Danny Coulombe told WJZ’s Mark Viviano. “Obviously for me, and most of the guys, it is the most important thing in our life, even more than baseball. We’re Christians first and baseball players second.”

“From 22-year-old Gunnar Henderson, the youngest player on the team, to 36-year-old Kyle Gibson, players came together in faith and in Bible studies,” Viviano said.

“We do Bible studies once a week and have chapel on Sundays,” Henderson said. “It’s really cool to spend time and be in fellowship with those guys.”

“Kyle Gibson is a big influence. Adley Rutschman is a big influence,” said pitcher Tyler Wells. “Austin Hays is a big influence. You have guys who aren’t afraid to talk about it.”

Sports Spectrum calls Gibson the team’s “spiritual leader.” When Gibson was in high school, he became a believer after he joined a youth group and went on a mission trip.

He told the Philadelphia Inquirer, “That was the summer I gave my life to Christ. I know baseball’s going to be here and gone, and it might be gone sooner than later. If I wanted something stable in my life, it had to be something other than baseball.”

Gibson and his wife Elizabeth serve with multiple charitable organizations. The pitcher said, “For me, it’s just a good reminder that I think there’s a lot expected of us because of where we’ve been. And for me, I believe that love started in the Bible and Jesus is love, and for me, I’m trying to love people no matter who they are.” Henderson and Rutchman have also followed in Gibson’s footsteps by prioritizing helping others and being vocal about their beliefs.

The Orioles aren’t the only MLB team to highlight their faith. Movieguide® previously reported that over half of MLB teams held faith nights in 2023:

According to Religion Unplugged, “At least 18 of MLB’s 30 franchises — 60% — will host faith nights during the 2023 season”…

The main contributor to faith nights is the “He Gets Us” campaign, which poured in $20 million into the 2023 Super Bowl so its 115 million viewers could hear the gospel…

“He Gets Us’ goal is to reintroduce people to the Jesus of the Bible and his confounding love and forgiveness…The best way to do that is to meet people where they are. That is why you see our ads at a variety of events, including sporting events,” campaign spokesperson Jordan Carson stated in a press release.