Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander has apologized to the Muslim community for sharing anti-Muslim social media posts.
- Roster Status: Santander missed the entire 2026 Major League Baseball season due to injury, preserving zero active-field value during the campaign.
- Contract Valuation: The outfielder remains tied to a five-year, $92.5 million contract signed in January 2025 with the Blue Jays.
Le Devoir reported that the 32-year-old Venezuelan acknowledged the content hurt people and contradicted his convictions. In a statement posted on Instagram, Santander explained that reflection and discussions with trusted individuals led him to recognize he should have been more attentive to his platform and the responsibility of having a public voice.
Santander expressed respect for the Muslim community and pledged to avoid sharing hate-inciting content in the future. He shared the posts on November 4 and deleted them the following morning, according to Le Devoir.
The shared material included a video of a Christian preacher disparaging Muslims and another suggesting that Sharia law would be imposed in the United States following the election of Abdul El-Sayed as a Michigan state senator.
Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Mark Shapiro issued an apology to the Muslim community and fans on Thursday, following a meeting with community representatives after general manager Ross Atkins instructed Santander to address the controversy publicly.
Santander is signed through the middle of the decade under a deal finalized in January 2025.
