Just before their Pride Weekend festivities and Friday night's game against the Minnesota Twins, the Toronto Blue Jays announced the designation for assignment of pitcher Anthony Bass.
This decision comes after Bass shared a social media video last week promoting boycotts of Target and Bud Light, sparking significant criticism. The 35-year-old pitcher urged Christians to participate in these boycotts. The Blue Jays announced the roster move on Twitter, replacing Bass with right-handed pitcher Mitch White, who has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
The move also follows a day after reports surfaced that Bass would catch the ceremonial first pitch from activist leZlie Lee Kam at Friday’s game, marking the start of Toronto’s fourth annual Pride Weekend celebration. The video Bass shared originated from creator Ryan Miller, who called for Christian boycotts of the two companies. Miller argued that supporting these businesses equates to participating in and promoting harmful ideologies to children.
While Bass later issued an apology, he reiterated his stance on Thursday before the game against the Houston Astros. He explained that the video aligned with his Christian beliefs and that he didn't intend for it to be perceived as hateful, acknowledging that he could understand how it could be interpreted that way. Bass described the situation as a distraction but affirmed his commitment to his personal beliefs while emphasizing he meant no harm to any group.
A 12-year MLB veteran with experience playing in Japan, Bass currently holds a 0-0 record and a 4.95 ERA in 22 games this season.
