Anthony Bass, Relief Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

Date of Birth: 11/1/1987
Birthplace: Dearborn, Michigan
College: Wayne State University

Anthony Bass, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, was a top player at Wayne State University. In his junior year, he was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2008 and he pitched in their minor league system from 2008 through 2010. He was a relief pitcher only in 2008 and a starting pitcher in 2009 and 2010.

Bass pitched in 3 games as a starting pitcher and 24 games as a relief pitcher with the Padres in 2011. He finished the season with 2 wins and no losses, 24 strikeouts to 21 walks, and a 1.68 ERA in 48.1 innings. He also pitched in 14 games as a starter in the minors. The following season, he spent time on the DL with shoulder inflammation. He finished the 2012 season with a 4.73 ERA, 2 wins and 8 losses, a career high 80 strikeouts to 39 walks in 15 games as a starter and 9 games in relief with the Padres. He transitioned to a reliever only in 2013, finishing with a 5.36 ERA in 42.0 innings in 24 games. He also pitched in 15 games as a starter in the minors.

The Padres traded Bass to the Houston Astros on December 11, 2013. His time in 2014 was split between the major and minor leagues. In 21 games with the Astros, he had a 6.33 ERA in 27.0 innings.

Bass became a free agent on November 22, 2014. Less than a month later, on December 11th, he signed with the Texas Rangers. In 2015, he pitched in 33 games with the Rangers and he finished with a 4.50 ERA in 64.0 innings.

Bass was traded to the Seattle Mariners on November 16, 2015. Two months later, on January 7, 2016, he was released. He played in Japan in 2016.

Bass signed again with the Rangers on February 10, 2017. He spent most of the 2017 season in the minors, pitching just 5.2 innings in 2 games with the Rangers.

Bass became a free agent on October 13, 2017. He signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs on December 23rd. He spent most of the 2018 season on the DL and in the minors. He pitched 15.1 innings in 16 games with the Cubs and he had a 2.93 ERA.

Bass became a free agent again on October 11, 2018. He signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds on December 26th. He was released on May 20, 2019. A day later, he signed with the Mariners. He finished the 2019 season with 2 wins and 4 losses, 5 saves, 43 strikeouts to 17 walks, and a 3.56 ERA in 48.0 innings in 44 games with the Mariners.

The Blue Jays claimed Bass off waivers on October 29, 2019. He pitched in 26 games in 2020, and he finished the season with 2 wins and 3 losses, 7 saves, and a 3.51 ERA in 25.2 innings. In the postseason, he pitched 1.0 innings in 1 game and he gave up no hits.

Bass became a free agent on October 28, 2020. He signed with the Miami Marlins on January 27, 2021. He finished the 2021 season with 3 wins and 9 losses, 58 strikeouts to 24 walks, and a 3.82 ERA in 61.1 innings in 70 games.

The Marlins traded Bass to the Blue Jays on August 2, 2022.

Career pitching statistics for Bass through 2021 include:

• 287 games played
• 434.1 innings pitched
• 12-25 win-loss record
• 15 saves
• 324 strikeouts to 160 walks
• 4.25 ERA

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Anthony Bass
ESPN - Anthony Bass