TORONTO (The Thursday Times) — Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander has apologised for sharing anti-Muslim posts on social media after Abdul El-Sayed’s election as Michigan’s first Muslim US senator, saying the content had caused hurt and fell short of his own convictions.
In a statement posted to his Instagram story on Friday, the 32-year-old Venezuelan said reflection and conversations with people he trusts had made him realise he should have been more thoughtful about what he shared, and about the responsibility that comes with a public platform. He said he respected the Muslim community and pledged not to share content that promotes hate.
Santander shared the posts on November 4, the morning after the US midterm elections, and deleted them the next day. They included a video of a Christian preacher disparaging Muslims and another claiming that Sharia law would be imposed on the United States after El-Sayed’s victory, which came after a campaign marked by a surge in anti-Muslim abuse.
Club apologised first
His apology came a day after Blue Jays president and chief executive Mark Shapiro apologised to the Muslim community and the team’s fans following a meeting with community leaders. General manager Ross Atkins had said earlier in the week that he asked Santander to address the controversy publicly.
Steven Zhou, media and communications lead for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said he was hopeful after the first meeting with the club. “Now that we’ve had a first meeting, we’ve gotten on the same page about why this kind of narrative is not just annoying and upsetting. It poses real dangers in a place like Canada,” he said.
“There’s no need to perpetuate those dangerous narratives, especially if you’re a public figure,” Zhou added.
The Blue Jays are Major League Baseball’s only Canadian team. Canada has more than 1.78 million Muslims, according to the 2021 census, and about one in 10 of Toronto’s 2.8 million residents identify as Muslim.
No word on discipline
Neither the club nor its owner, Rogers Communications, has said whether Santander will face any disciplinary action over the posts, or how the team’s social media policy applies to them.
Morgan McLellan, a managing partner at the Toronto crisis communications firm Sovereign, said the club’s condemnation of Islamophobia was a good start but should have come immediately. “After more than a week of backlash, the response looks reactive, driven by mounting pressure rather than a clear commitment to the values the club says it represents,” he said.
Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto in January 2025 after hitting 44 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. He batted .175 with six home runs in an injury-hit first season with the Blue Jays and missed the whole of 2026 through injury. He is expected to be fit when spring training begins in February.
