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Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins addressed the controversy surrounding outfielder Anthony Santander's now-deleted Instagram posts during the MLB General Managers meetings on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Atkins revealed that he advised Santander to issue an apology for the posts, which drew condemnation from Muslims and their advocates. As of Atkins' remarks, Santander had not yet made any public statement.
"There aren't words to express my level of disappointment with him making those comments," Atkins said, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. "I've expressed that to him. I think anything exasperating, some level of hate, anti-Islamic, is just extremely concerning."
The posts in question were shared on Santander's Instagram Stories on Nov. 4, shortly after the U.S. midterm elections. Both posts targeted Islam and Michigan senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, who is Muslim. The first post featured a picture of El-Sayed with the message: "America voted for Sharia Last Night!" The second post was a video of a Christian preacher making generalizations about Muslims, including the assertion that Islam is not peaceful, that there is no such thing as kind Muslims, and claims that Islam is violent and driven by war.
Santander deleted both posts on Thursday, but screenshots circulated online, prompting criticism from baseball fans and others. The Blue Jays organization issued a statement distancing itself from the posts: "Baseball is for everyone, and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not represent our organization's values and beliefs." The National Council of Canadian Muslims expressed hope that Santander would apologize and engage in education and dialogue.
Santander, 32, missed the entire 2026 season and played only 54 games in 2025 due to injuries. The Venezuela native signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract in January 2025.
Key Analysis
The incident highlights the growing scrutiny athletes face for their social media activity and the expectations placed on teams to respond to controversial statements. Atkins' public call for an apology underscores the Blue Jays' desire to distance the organization from Santander's posts while holding the player accountable. The situation also raises questions about Santander's future with the team and his standing among fans, especially given his limited playing time due to injuries. As the story develops, all eyes will be on whether Santander issues an apology and how the Blue Jays manage the fallout.
Originally reported by yahoo.