Fact Check: Was Anthony Bass DFA'd because of homophobic comments? Jays pitcher sent down before scheduled first pitch

On May 29, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass drew widespread attention after sharing some questionnable material on his personal Instagram page.

In response to pro LGBT+ marketing moves by Target and Bud Light, Bass shared a story from another page that labelled the corporations as "evil" and "demonic" for their moves.

Instantly, the hitherto relatively unknown pitcher became one of the most controversial names in the MLB. Calls for his apology as well as disciplinary action from his team began to pour in from all sides.

"Let’s see what Anthony Bass is up to on Instagram" - Johnny Giunta

Just one day later, with the chorus calling for an apology reaching a fever pitch, Bass issued an apology to fans, teammates, and the City of Toronto for giving a platform to these rather extreme positions.

Originally, Bass was met with reluctant forgiveness. The media shared his statement, in which he apologized and walked back his statements. Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that "it was the right thing to do."

Just eleven days later, on June 9, the Jays announced that they would be designating Anthony Bass for assignment. The move came just hours before the Blue Jays' kickoff of Pride Weekend, when they welcome the Minnesota Twins to town. Bass was expected to catch the ceremonial opening pitch.

"The Blue Jays announce that they've designated Anthony Bass for assignment" - Talkin Baseball

In 22 appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays this season, Bass has amassed a regrettable 4.95 ERA. The 35 year old has allowed three home runs and 9 RBIs across 20 innings, only garnering 19 strikeouts over that period of time.

The prevailing view is that although Bass' comments were an unwanted distraction, his pitching has been poor enough to warrant a designation for free agency. While making controversial statements with a good ERA is risky, making them without one is a good way to get yourself fired.

Anthony Bass departure will not slow down Blue Jays too much

The Jays are coming off a big 3-1 series win against the Houston Astros. As such, the focus should be on keeping the positive streak alive. While Anthony Bass was far from a star for the Jays, and his departure will probably ring in any sort of notable change for the team as they have their sights set on winning the AL East for the first time since the 2015 season.