Two controversial posts on outfielder Anthony Santander’s Instagram account might have gone away — he deleted him — but the uproar he stirred among Toronto Blue Jays fans has not.
Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said at the MLB General Managers meetings on Tuesday, Nov. 10 that he recommended Santander apologize for the posts, which drew criticism from Muslims and their advocates.
As of the time Atkins spoke, however, Santander had yet to respond.
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“There aren’t words to express my level of disappointment with him making those comments,” Atkins said, via 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.”
Anthony Santander social media controversy: What did the posts say?
Santander shared two anti-Muslim videos on his 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.
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The first post featured a picture of El-Sayed, who had just won election to the U.S. Senate. The accompanying message said:
“America voted for Sharia Last Night!”
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The second post was a video featuring a Christian preacher making generalizations about Muslims. Among the statements were:
• The assertion that Islam is not peaceful
• “There is no such thing as kind Muslims”
• Claims that Islam is violent and driven by war
Fans await Anthony Santander social media controversy response
Santander deleted both posts on Thursday, but screenshots circulated online, prompting criticism from baseball fans and others.
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The Blue Jays issued a statement distancing the organization from the posts.
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“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.”
The National Council of Canadian Muslims said it hoped Santander would apologize and engage in education and dialogue.
Santander, 32, missed the entire 2026 season and played only 54 games in 2025, because of injuries. The Venezuela native signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract in Janaury 2025.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
