Orioles starting pitcher Cade Povich revealed a hateful direct message sent from a fan to his wife’s Instagram account after Friday night’s game against the Houston Astros.

Povich, a 25-year-old left-hander who allowed six runs (four earned) in a 10-7 loss at Camden Yards, posted a screenshot early Saturday morning from a user who threatened to kidnap and harm his wife and “see if your trashy husband does his job properly.” The user also wished for her to “die of leukemia.”

“I understand that I may not have performed or have gotten the results that I, my team, or many fans may have wanted so I get the frustration. Say what you want about me in that regard,” Povich said in a post on X. “However, going out of your way to DM my wife is unacceptable and what is shown in this image is crossing the line. Me, or especially my wife, should not have to worry about our safety in the public, nonetheless church, because of how I perform on the mound.”

Povich ended his post with “Matthew 5:43-48,” a passage from the Bible that reads, in part, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Threats against athletes on social media have become more widespread with the rise of legal sports gambling, according to a recent story from The Washington Post. In an informal poll by The Athletic this spring, 78% of the 133 baseball players surveyed said legalized sports betting has changed how fans treat them or their teammates.

“I’m coming on here to say something about this because I know my family is not alone,” Povich said. “This stuff does not belong in the game.”

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