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Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander ignited a controversy this week by sharing two Islamophobic posts on Instagram. The posts surfaced just one day after Democrats achieved significant gains in Tuesday's midterm elections, including Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan's U.S. Senate race.
Santander deleted the posts shortly after sharing them, but screenshots had already spread rapidly across social media. The Blue Jays have now responded with a statement clarifying that Santander's posts do not reflect the organization's values.
Details of the Posts
El-Sayed, a Muslim Democrat and former Detroit health director, won Michigan's U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday after previously securing a closely contested Democratic primary in August. The following day, Santander shared two videos to his Instagram story, as reported by Marley Dickinson of Offside.
The first video, reshared from an account called @theamericantruthproject, claimed that all Muslims elected to office on Tuesday are radicals seeking to impose Sharia law in the U.S. Congress. It included an image of El-Sayed. The second video featured a Christian minister describing Islam as violent and driven by war, and claiming that kind Muslims do not exist.
These posts drew immediate backlash from Blue Jays fans. Although Santander removed both videos, many fans shared screenshots and criticized the 32-year-old for his actions.
Team Statement and Historical Context
On Thursday, the Blue Jays addressed the incident in a statement, though no disciplinary action was announced for Santander. "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," a Blue Jays spokesperson told Offside.
This is not the first time the Blue Jays have faced such a controversy. In 2023, reliever Anthony Bass apologized after sharing a post supporting anti-LGBTQ boycotts, and the team designated him for assignment a couple of weeks later.
Santander's future in Toronto was already uncertain before this week. He signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Blue Jays ahead of the 2025 season but has played in just 54 games for the team, missing the entire 2026 season with a shoulder injury. He still has three years remaining on that deal. Clearly, the posts have not helped his standing with Blue Jays fans as he works to get healthy for 2027.
Originally reported by yahoo.