What did Anthony Bass do? Blue Jays pitcher in center of another social media storm

Anthony Bass has found himself in quite a predicament this week. The Toronto Blue Jays pitcher issued a public apology on Tuesday, just a day after he shared an anti-LGBTQIA+ post on social media.

Bass set off a firestorm online after he reposted a video to his Instagram story which encouraged the sanction of Target and Bud Light as both companies have recently come out in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The video clip on Bass' Instagram story contained anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and distasteful stereotypes of the community. It also described the LGBTQIA+ Pride campaigns run by both businesses as "evil" and "demonic."

Although Bass didn't drop a comment on the anti-LGBTQIA+ post, he shared it with his followers. But within a few hours of the post, the Blue Jays pitcher later removed it from his profile due to the backlash he received online.

Bass then apologized for his actions on social media and said:

"I recognize yesterday I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine. I am truly sorry for that.

"I just spoke with my teammates and shared with them my actions yesterday. I apologized with them, and as of right now I am using the Blue Jays' resources to better educate myself to make better decisions moving forward."

He added:

"The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That's all I have to say."

Moreover, the Toronto faithful expressed their displeasure toward Anthony Bass when he stepped out for them in Game 2 of the Blue Jays' clash against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old was greeted with a loud chorus of boos from the crowd at the Rogers Centre.

Anthony Bass stats in 2023 MLB season

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass

Anthony Bass has had a fairly decent start to the 2023 MLB season. The Toronto Blue Jays pitcher has recorded 19 strikeouts and nine walks in 19 innings pitched at a 4.26 ERA.

However, the Blue Jays have struggled to get their act together as a team. John Schneider's side are currently fourth in the AL East with 29 wins and 27 defeats.

If Toronto has hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, it needs to improve on its away record. The Blue Jays have lost 17 games away from home, the most by any team in their division.