Blue Jays' Santander sparks backlash with Islamophobic posts
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander shared Islamophobic content on Instagram, prompting a statement from the team distancing itself from his views and drawing condemnation from Muslim community leaders in Canada.
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander shared Islamophobic content on his Instagram account this week, leading to a public response from the team. The 32-year-old player reposted two Instagram stories containing anti-Muslim rhetoric following the U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday.
One repost featured an image of Michigan Senator Abdul El-Sayed with the caption 'America voted for Sharia last night.' Another stated plainly, 'Islam is not peaceful.' The videos, which originated from the accounts of the right-wing American Truth Project and a minister named Nuhu Simon Jatau, remained on Santander's profile until Thursday before being deleted after immediate backlash.
Organizational Response
The Toronto Blue Jays issued a statement on Thursday addressing the incident. "Individual comments do not represent our organization's values and beliefs," the team said. The statement emphasized that baseball is for everyone and that the organization is committed to creating an inclusive space for all fans.
Community and Advocacy Reaction
Muslim leaders and advocacy groups in Canada swiftly condemned the posts. Ahmad Al Qadi, senior advisor at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), called the content 'hurtful' for Muslim baseball fans. The NCCM is urging Santander to apologize and to meet with Canada's Muslim community to understand the harm caused.
Fan Hamzah Moin, who is Muslim, expressed disbelief upon seeing the reposts. He stated he would like Santander to apologize and undergo inclusivity training. Canada's former special representative on combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, condemned the actions of a role model who 'has impact.' The Muslim Advisory Council of Canada called for collective responsibility and urged the federal government to address the incident.
Professional Context and Performance
Santander is in the second year of a major contract with the Blue Jays. His professional performance and contract details are outlined below.
| Contract Detail | Performance Statistic |
|---|---|
| Five-year, $92.5 million deal (signed Jan. 2025) | Played 54 games in 2025 |
| Under contract through 2027 | wOBA of .255 in 2025 (70 pts below career avg) |
| Will earn over $19 million in 2026 | Missed entire 2026 season due to injury |
| 6 home runs, 18 RBIs across two seasons with Toronto |
The right fielder's time in Toronto has been marred by injury. He played only 54 games in 2025 due to shoulder and back issues and missed the entire 2026 season. Santander has not issued an apology as of Sunday morning. The National Council of Canadian Muslims continues to call for him to apologize and engage in dialogue with the community.
