Toronto Blue Jays reliever Anthony Bass issued a public apology one day after sharing a video on social media that endorses anti-LGBTQIA+ boycotts.
Bass shared a video on his Instagram stories Monday that called for viewers to boycott Target and Bud Light because of those companies’ recent promotion of LGBTQIA+ Pride campaigns.
Bass, who has since removed the video from his social media accounts, made a brief statement Tuesday but did not take questions from reporters.
“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,” Bass said, according to MLB.com. “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.
“The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That’s all I have to say.”
The Blue Jays said in a statement to the Toronto Star that “individual player sentiments are not representative of the club’s beliefs.”
“The Blue Jays bring millions of fans together across Canada and are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming experience for all,” the team said in its statement. “The Blue Jays are proud to celebrate LGBTQ2S+ Pride Month, including a special fourth annual Pride Weekend at the ballpark June 9 and 10, and demonstrations of allyship all month long around the ballpark.”
Bass, 35, has a 4.50 ERA in 20 relief appearances this season with the Blue Jays. The right-hander has played parts of 12 seasons in the majors with seven different teams.