Blue Jays claim Anthony Bass off waivers

October 30, 2019

The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed right-handed reliever Anthony Bass off waivers. Photo: Stan Szeto, USA Today Sports

October 30, 2019

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to fine-tune their roster as they claimed righthanded reliever Anthony Bass off of waivers from Seattle.

Bass, 31, was a fifth-round pick of the San Diego Padres in 2008, reaching the major leagues three years later, getting into 27 games in his rookie year and posting a stellar 1.68 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP over 48 1/3 innings in the major leagues with 24 strikeouts and 21 walks. He was more of a swing man in 2012, throwing 97 innings for the Padres but had a 4.73 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, striking out 80 and walking 39. His numbers fell further in 2013, when his ERA and 5.36 in 42 innings with just 31 strikeouts and 20 walks.

Bass was traded to Houston where he struggled in his first AL stint, tossing 27 innings in the majors with a 6.33 ERA and 1.44 WHIP, striking out just seven batters. He became a free agent, and signed on with Texas for 2015, improving his numbers, with a 4.50 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and striking out 45 and walking 20 in 64 innings. He went to Japan in 2016, working as a swing man again, logging 103 2/3 innings with a 3.65 ERA and 1.44 WHIP, striking out 71 and walking 47 before coming back to the US in 2017.

Bass spent most of 2017 in triple-A Round Rock for the Rangers, with some solid numbers and he only got into two games in the majors before becoming a free agent and signing with the Cubs. He pitched just 15 1/3 innings in the majors with Chicago but had a 2.93 ERA and 14 strikeouts (his best rate per nine innings in the big leagues) and put up solid numbers in triple-A. He was signed in the offeason by Cincinnati and he pitched very well for the Reds' triple-A team over 20 1/3 innings with a 2.21 ERA and 0.83 WHIP, striking out 19 and walking six and Bass exercised his out clause, becoming a free agent and getting an opportunity in the majors with Seattle. For the Mariners, he threw 48 innings with a 3.56 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, striking out 43 and walking 17.

Brooks Baseball tells us that Bass's primary weapon is his sinker which averaged 95.58 mph and he used the pitch over 41% of the time along with a four-seam fastball (that he threw around the same velocity) being used around 12% of the time. His slider averaged 87.56 mph and was used 33% of the time with his fourth pitch classified as a splitter at 86.88 mph being used about 14% of the time (percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding).

The Blue Jays also informed us that Ryan Dull was being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man for Bass.

This move gives the Blue Jays another hard-throwing righty to come out of the pen when someone like Ken Giles's prospects at starting the 2020 season with the Blue Jays are a little murky.

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