The Toronto Blue Jays have cut pitcher Anthony Bass a week after he shared a video that encouraged Christians to boycott companies such as Target and Bud Light over their LGBT advocacy.
Bass, 35, initially apologized for sharing the video on May 31. He shared a clip from a person named Ryan Miller, who is behind an Instagram account “dudewithgoodnews.”
The video quoted Bible verses and called the LGBT ideology “evil” and “demonic.”
Bass quickly expressed remorse following a backlash, but his critics did not feel his apology was genuine. He was booed a day after sharing the video by the home crowd in Toronto:
Anthony Bass comes into the game, greeted by a couple of separate choruses of boos. #Bluejays pic.twitter.com/NM3IpEA91i
— Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness) June 1, 2023
While he initially said he was sorry, the right-hander said Thursday the video did in fact reflect his beliefs and he did not view what he shared as hateful.
Bass said he had come to view the LGBT dustup as a “distraction” and that he would refrain from sharing his personal views online in the future.
“The video itself, obviously, I took it down,” he said, The Athletic reported. “But I stand by my personal beliefs and everyone’s entitled to their personal beliefs, right?”
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Bass added, “But also I mean no harm toward any groups of people.
“As a team, our job is to win baseball games. And that’s my focus,” he also said.
The pitcher was scheduled to catch a “healing” ceremonial first pitch from an LGBT activist before Friday’s home game against the Minnesota Twins and during its “Pride Weekend,” Fox News reported.
Instead, the pitcher was told just hours before the start of the game that he was out of a job.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said the controversy played only a minor role in the decision to cut Bass.
“Performance was a large aspect of the decision,” Atkins said, according to ESPN. “Distraction was a small part of it and something we had to factor in.”
The Blue Jays have a week to either trade Bass or place him on waivers. The team announced on Twitter that it has activated pitcher Mitch White in the place of Bass.
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 team also shared a “pride” rainbow-themed graphic that featured White and the rest of Friday’s lineup.
Celebrating #Pride Weekend at the ballpark! #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/Xzn4IgdzJp
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 9, 2023
The Blue Jays currently have a variation of the transgender-inclusive “pride” flag as the cover photo on the team’s account.
Much of Major League Baseball is currently in a standoff against Christians over the league’s full embrace of the LGBT lobby.
The Anaheim Angels hosted the anti-Christian hate group the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence on Wednesday during its celebration of the LGBT community, KABC-TV reported.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently facing a boycott from Catholics over the team’s decision to honor the fringe group next week.
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is a San Francisco-based group of gay men who dress up in drag and mock Jesus.
