Blue Jays issue a response to Anthony Santander's controversial posts

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Blue Jays issue a response to Anthony Santander's controversial posts

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated Nov 6, 2026 9:00 AM ET

Anthony Santander’s controversial social media posts this week have drawn a response from his employer.

The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Santander sparked some backlash with a pair of posts to his Instagram Story. Santander reacted to the news of Abdul El-Sayed’s election to a United States Senate seat in Michigan on Tuesday night by reposting two controversial reels (which Santander since appears to have deleted).

One reel was entitled, “America Voted for Sharia Last Night” and contained an image of El-Sayed on the banner. The other reel was entitled “Islam Is Not Peaceful.”

Anthony, no!! https://t.co/Rw66I7UDiU
— Ryan O’Hearn Supremacy (@Os_Supremacy) November 5, 2026

In the wake of Santander’s posts, the Blue Jays issued a statement on the matter on Thursday. “Baseball is for everyone, and the Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark,” a team spokesperson said. “Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”

El-Sayed is a practicing Muslim. With his election victory on Tuesday night, he is set to become the first Muslim senator in United States history.

As for Santander, a former MLB All-Star, he did not play for the Blue Jays at all last season due to shoulder surgery. He also struggled in 2025 (his first season with Toronto) due to injuries and ineffectiveness and is still owed $52.1 million by the team over the next three seasons.

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