Blue Jays ditch controversial pitcher Anthony Bass on Pride Weekend
The Toronto Blue Jays have designated embattled pitcher Anthony Bass for assignment after multiple botched attempts to patch up the reliever’s sharing of a video calling for Christians to boycott Bud Light and Target for the brands’ support of LGBTQ equality.
The team announced on social media just after 1 pm that the pitcher has been DFAd, coming the day after a disastrous press conference where the pitcher doubled down on his anti-LGBTQ beliefs.
ROSTER MOVES:
🔹 RHP Mitch White has been reinstated from the 60-day IL and will be active for tonight’s game
🔹 RHP Anthony Bass has been designated for assignment pic.twitter.com/O36mqtPENc
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 9, 2023
The Jays have also reinstated pitcher Mitch White from the 60-day injured list, who will be active in tonight’s game versus the Minnesota Twins.
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Bass’ second stint with the Toronto Blue Jays has been marred by controversy.
This season, the reliever garnered an unwanted spotlight when he tried to blame a United Airlines flight crew for asking his pregnant wife to clean up popcorn discarded on the floor of an aircraft by their infant daughter.
His association with a far-right Fox News pundit well-known for her hateful views became known in the days after PopcornGate broke, foreshadowing the ugly events to come.
Bass was mercilessly trolled on social media in the weeks that followed, but it was his sharing of an anti-LGBTQ video in late May that set off the media firestorm that likely resulted in his ousting from the roster.
Bass’ halfhearted apology and misguided attempts to make amends while sticking to his controversial views only further incensed fans this week, and the (now-scrapped) decision to have him catch the ceremonial first pitch kicking off the Jays’ Pride Weekend festivities was rebuked by fans on social media.