Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Explains Why Team Cut Anthony Bass Following Anti-LGBTQ Post

Ross Atkins told the media that the relief pitcher's stance had become a "distraction" in the clubhouse

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins is speaking out about cutting Anthony Bass, the team’s relief pitcher who drew widespread criticism after he reposted an anti-LGBTQ video on Instagram.

The Blue Jays designated Bass for assignment Friday, hours before he was scheduled to catch the ceremonial first pitch as part of the Toronto Blue Jays' celebration of Pride Weekend.

“Like any decision, we’re focused on building the best possible team,’’ Atkins, 49, said to the media, according to the Toronto Sun. “There are a lot of variables. Like anything, there are times when things get momentum and become a distraction in our clubhouse, and that was a variable.”

The 35-year-old Bass, who had appeared in 22 games this season and sported a 4.95 ERA, was booed by his own team’s fans at Toronto’s Rogers Centre earlier this month, two days after he reposted a video that praised the boycotting of Bud Light and Target for their measures supporting the LGBTQ community. The video referred to selling Pride-themed merchandise as "evil" and "demonic," according to ESPN.com.

Bass apologized in the days after he reposted the video, and last week, did so again — but told reporters last Thursday, before the team’s final game in a series at Houston, that he nonetheless believed “the video reflected my [Christian] beliefs.”

Related: Fans Slam Toronto Blue Jays’ Decision to Involve Anthony Bass in Pride Weekend — Then Team Cuts Him

“The video itself, obviously, I took it down,” Bass said, according to The Athletic. “I just felt like it was too much of a distraction, right? But I stand by my personal beliefs and everyone’s entitled to their personal beliefs, right? But also I mean no harm toward any groups of people. And I felt like taking that down the second time was the right thing to do and not being a distraction. As a team, our job is to win baseball games. And that’s my focus.”

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Bass went on to say that he had a “productive meeting” with Sherwin Modeste, the executive director of Pride Toronto, and apologized for “not being sensitive to obviously what that community goes through.”

Related: Blue Jays Fans Boo Their Own Pitcher After He Reposted an Anti-LGBTQ+ Video

Atkins’ decision to release Bass came days after he initially said the pitcher would not be disciplined, claiming Bass had been apologetic and “accountable” for his actions.

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