Blue Jays apologize to Muslim community after Anthony Santander's anti-Muslim Instagram posts
Summary
- Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander shared Instagram posts criticizing Islam after the November 2026 U.S. midterm elections and deleted them the next day.
- The posts included a preacher saying "There is no such thing as kind Muslims" and a claim Sharia law would follow Abdul El-Sayed's Senate win in Michigan.
- The club first issued a statement disavowing the posts, then on November 13, 2026 apologized to the Muslim community and met with Muslim leaders.
- Santander, who signed a five-year, US$92.5-million deal with Toronto in January 2025 and missed the 2026 season injured, has not publicly commented or apologized.
- Whether the club will discipline Santander remains unclear, with questions over possible social media policy and morality clause contract violations.
- The posts came from the Instagram accounts The American Truth Project and Nuhu Simon Jatau, which claim Muslims are violent and worship Satan.
Reactions
- Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said in a statement the club condemns Islamophobia and all forms of hate and is deeply sorry for the pain and harm caused.
- General manager Ross Atkins said, "There really aren't words to express my level of disappointment," and said he asked Santander to publicly address the controversy.
- Steven Zhou of the National Council of Canadian Muslims called the meeting and training commitment positive steps but said the next step is an apology from Santander himself.
- Amira Elghawaby, Canada's former special representative on combating Islamophobia, said deleting the posts is not enough and called for a public apology from Santander.
- Fan Samrah Sher said she was deeply hurt and disappointed, saying the posts reinforce dangerous stereotypes about Islam.
- A Rational National host called the club's response horrible so far and argued the reaction would differ if the posts had targeted another group.
Timeline newest first
On November 13, 2026, the Toronto Blue Jays apologized to the Muslim community and fans for the pain and harm caused by Anthony Santander's social media posts, after meeting for about an hour with Muslim community leaders.
A Deep Left Field podcast episode discussed Anthony Santander's Instagram posts with Brotherhood Softball League figures Mohamed Kala and Emad Ahmed and front-office perspective from Farhan Zaidi.
The videos Anthony Santander shared originated with the Instagram accounts of The American Truth Project and Nuhu Simon Jatau.
Blue Jays fans and Amira Elghawaby, Canada's former special representative on combating Islamophobia, called the team's response to Anthony Santander's deleted posts insufficient.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims called on Major League Baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays, and leaders to denounce Anthony Santander's anti-Muslim posts and demanded a full apology from him.
The Toronto Blue Jays issued a statement saying Anthony Santander's anti-Muslim videos, posted November 4 after the U.S. midterm elections and deleted November 5, do not represent the team's values, saying "Baseball is for everyone."
Sources newest first
- Blue Jays apologize to Muslim community and fans in wake of Santander’s posts | Globalnews.ca
The Toronto Blue Jays apologized to the Muslim community and fans for anti-Muslim posts outfielder Anthony Santander shared after the U.S. midterm elections; he has not commented. President Mark Shapiro condemned Islamophobia in a statement, and GM Ross Atkins said he asked Santander to publicly address the controversy, while discipline remains unclear.
Toronto Blue Jays apologize after Muslim community outcry over Anthony Santander's Instagram postsfoxnews.com· 43h
A Fox News article by Alejandro Avila reports that the Toronto Blue Jays apologized and met with Muslim leaders after outfielder Anthony Santander shared Instagram posts criticizing Islam, which he deleted two days later. President Mark Shapiro's statement condemned Islamophobia without disciplining Santander, who has not apologized; the article attributes the lack of a roster move to the $49 million remaining on his contract.
The Santander Situation: Dodge…–Deep Left Field with Mike Wilner – Apple Podcasts
The Deep Left Field podcast takes up Anthony Santander's amplified Instagram posts, which it calls vile, ugly, and Islamophobic, bringing in Brotherhood Softball League figures Mohamed Kala and Emad Ahmed for Muslim fans' views, with Farhan Zaidi discussing them from a front-office perspective. Gregor Chisholm also reports on Ross Atkins's comments and Blue Jays activity at the Las Vegas general managers' meetings.
The Blue Jays Have An Asshole, And His Name Is Anthony Santander | DefectorChris Thompson's Defector piece reports that Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander shared Instagram videos warning of Sharia law and claiming Muslims are violent, then scrubbed them after the club issued a statement disavowing the comments; the videos came from The American Truth Project and Nuhu Simon Jatau. Thompson calls Santander an Islamophobe, flags false claims about Muslims in office by Laura Loomer and the Free Press's Maya Sulkin, notes the Free Press's correction, and jokes that its stated regret was itself false.
Blue Jays response to Santander’s Islamophobic reposts ‘not enough’ for some fans | CBC SportsCBC Sports, in a piece by Shireen Ahmed, reports that Blue Jays fans and Canada's former special representative on combating Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, find the team's response to Anthony Santander's deleted Islamophobic Instagram reposts insufficient, noting the club has offered no further comment. Elghawaby calls for a public apology from Santander and a stronger stance from the team, which previously disciplined Kevin Pillar and released Anthony Bass over similar incidents.
Blue Jays Player Shares Wildly Hateful Posts Aimed At Abdul El-Sayed & MuslimsThe Rational National's host discusses Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander's Instagram posts after Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan Senate win, including a video captioned "America voted for Sharia last night" and a message saying "Islam is not peaceful." He contrasts the team's response with its release of Anthony Bass over an anti-LGBTQ post, notes Rogers owns both Sportsnet and the Blue Jays, and calls the Blue Jays' response horrible so far.
Blue Jays say RF Santander’s anti-Muslim posts do not represent the team’s valuesThe Blue Jays say in a statement that Anthony Santander's anti-Muslim videos — posted after the U.S. midterms and deleted Thursday — do not represent the team's values, adding that "Baseball is for everyone." Santander's reposts included a preacher saying "There is no such thing as kind Muslims" and a claim Sharia law would follow Abdul El-Sayed's election as the first Muslim American U.S. senator.
Background newest first
"JD Vance Will Have To Swear Me In..." Abdul El-Sayed Trolls Trump, Saying He Will Call Him SenatorAnton Daniels posts Abdul El-Sayed's victory speech as Michigan senator-elect, in which El-Sayed celebrates a movement for money out of politics and Medicare for all, says opponents spent a record $350 million to beat him, and jokes that after JD Vance swears him in, Donald Trump can just call him Senator. Daniels calls the result disturbing for Michigan, says voters chose on talking points and dislike of Trump, and warns Democrats will destroy culture and raise taxes.
Progressive Abdul El-Sayed wins Michigan Senate race to become first Muslim US senatortheguardian.com· 10d
Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive former Wayne county health director, defeated Republican Mike Rogers to win Michigan's US Senate race, becoming the country's first Muslim senator and adding to a decisive Democratic Senate majority. The Guardian calls the campaign against him, marked by Donald Trump's attacks on his faith and roughly $30 million in Aipac spending, largely Islamophobic.
