outfielder Anthony Santander removed Islamophobic Instagram stories he shared the day after Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s US Senate race, becoming the first Muslim elected to the chamber. The posts quickly spread online through screenshots, prompting criticism from Blue Jays fans and a statement from the team distancing itself from the content.
Anthony Santander, 32, shared the stories on Wednesday. One featured the claim “America voted for Sharia Last Night!” alongside an image of El-Sayed. The other declared “Islam is not peaceful.” Both were taken down Thursday morning after circulating widely.
The material included a reshare from an account asserting that Muslims elected that night were radicals seeking to impose Sharia law in Congress, plus a video of a Christian minister describing Islam as “violent” and “driven by war” while claiming there is “no such thing as kind Muslims.”
, a former Detroit health director, defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched race, retaining the seat for Democrats in a strong midterm night for the party.
The released a statement about the posts to multiple publications. The team’s spokesperson provided this response to The Athletic: “Baseball is for everyone,” the statement read, “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.”
Notably, the organization has not announced any discipline.
Anthony Santander’s five-year, $92.5 million free-agent deal with Toronto Blue Jays has produced limited returns. He has played in only 54 regular-season games across two seasons because of shoulder problems and subsequent surgery. He missed the entire 2026 campaign after undergoing left shoulder labral surgery and appeared only in minor-league rehab games late in the year. Three guaranteed seasons remain on the contract.
After the 2026 season, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said the club still views Santander as “an option” in the outfield for 2027, assuming he is healthy.
The team has acted before when a player’s social media activity drew backlash. In 2023, reliever Anthony Bass shared a post supporting boycotts and was released roughly two weeks later. At the time, the Blue Jays characterized the move as a “baseball decision.”
Santander, a Venezuela native who was an All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 before signing with Toronto, has not publicly addressed the latest posts. The episode adds another layer of scrutiny to a high-priced contract that has yet to deliver consistent on-field production amid ongoing injury concerns.
