Who Is Anthony Bass? Blue Jays Pitcher Ignites Debate After Blasting United Airlines

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass is taking a lot of heat for ripping United Airlines for making his 22-week pregnant wife clean up a mess their 2-year-old daughter made on an airplane. Bass did not back down from his stance on how United Airlines should clean up the mess and said that the airline is taking care of the situation internally. But who is Bass and how has he performed in MLB?

Bass played college baseball at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2008. He began his professional baseball career with the San Deigo Padres as he was selected by the team in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB Draft. He made his big league debut in 2011 and was with the team for three seasons. During that time, Bass posted a 4-8 record with a 4.08 ERA and one save. 

Before the 2014 season, Bass was traded to Houston Astros and split time between the team and its AAA affiliate. He appeared in 21 major league games and earned two saves. Before the 2015 season, Bass joined the Texas Rangers and split time between the major league team and its AAA affiliate. He played in 33 games for the Rangers and compiled a 4.50 ERA in 64 innings. 

Following the 2015 season, Bass played baseball in Japan. He signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and helped the team win the 2016 Japan Series. He returned to MLB in 2017 and played for five different teams from 2017-2022, including the Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Blue Jays and Miami Marlins. In his career, Bass has a 16-28 record with a 3.92 ERA with 154 saves in 512 innings. 

Bass married his wife Sydney in January 2017. They welcomed their first daughter, Brooklyn in September of that year and adopted a second daughter, Blaire in October 2020. Sydney is the sister of country music star Jessie James Decker who is married to former NFL star Eric Decker. When Jessie learned the news of her sister being forced to learn up her daughter’s mess while pregnant she went to her Instagram story to call out United Airlines. 

“My sister, Sydney Rae Bass, just texted me from her flight,” the singer wrote. “As you know, she is five months pregnant, high risk, and also traveling alone with two small children. Blaire accidentally spilled popcorn in the aisle, and the flight attendant came up to Sydney with a trash bag, and a wet wipe, telling her the captain wants Syd to clean up every drop. My poor sister is on her hands and knees, crying in the aisle, completely humiliated and exhausted, with her children while everyone watched.”