Anthony Bass, pitcher for Toronto Blye Jays has issued a statement, in which he apologized for sharing an anti-LGBTQ post on Instagram on Tuesday.

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Bass in a statement said, “I recognize that yesterday I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine and I am truly sorry for that”. “As of right now, I am using the Blue Jays’ resources to better educate myself and make better decisions moving forward. The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark and we want to welcome everybody. That’s all I have to say”, he also added.

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The controversy circled Bass when he shared a post on Instagram which called for the boycotting of brands which include Bud Light and Target due to their support for the LGBTQ community, labelling it “evil”, advising people to boycott them.

The official handle of Toronto Blue Jays on Twitter shared a video of his statement. However, many Twitter users took a sharp dig at the pitcher. One user while criticizing Bass tweeted, “Anthony Bass might now just be the most hated player in Toronto Blue Jays history. As much as I’d like to see the Jays release him for being a homophobic asshat & toxic in the clubhouse, they just need to cut him loose because he sucks as a pitcher.”

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“As both a queer individual and an avid lover of @BlueJays baseball, I am deeply saddened that Anthony Bass chooses to spread hate toward the #LGBTQIA community. I cannot help whom I love. I was #bornthisway yet I can choose the team whom I want to cheer for.” another user wrote.

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However, some supported his statement, as one user wrote, “Anthony Bass spoke out in support of boycotting woke culture. Bud Light insulted real women by recognizing a man pretending to be a woman for a year, and Target was selling material designed by a satanic child groomer. I hope he stays true to his stance today.”