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Anthony Santander appeared to be unhappy with Michigan electing Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday, as the Blue Jays outfielder made multiple posts on social media attacking the senator-elect’s Muslim faith.
Santander, 32, reposted two videos to his Instagram story attacking the Democrat, with one captioned “America voted for Sharia Last Night,” and the other titled “Islam is not peaceful.”
In a statement to The Athletic, a spokesperson for the Blue Jays rebuked Santander’s posts, saying that they do not reflect the franchise’s values.
I’m all for free speech, but this is extremely disgusting and flat out disrespectful stuff shared by Anthony Santander.
Islamophobia is never acceptable, and I hope the @BlueJays take the appropriate action, considering they have some Muslim employees as well. pic.twitter.com/F3VV9cgMLH
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) November 5, 2026
“Baseball is for everyone and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark,” the statement read. “Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”
Before being removed, the posts were captured and shared on social media, with many Toronto fans pushing back on the Venezuelan outfielder.
Santander’s comments come after El-Sayed defeated Republican opponent Mike Rogers in a highly contested election on Tuesday.
He will become the first Muslim U.S. Senator once he takes office in January.
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Toronto has made roster decisions following controversial posts from players before, with reliever Anthony Bass being released two weeks after sharing a post supporting anti-LGBTQ boycotts back in 2023.
The Blue Jays, however, insisted that his release was a “baseball decision.”
Santander, who has been injured since the 2025 postseason, is in the middle of a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto, with three years left on his deal.
His Blue Jays tenure has been nothing short of a disaster, however, playing in just 54 games and posting an abysmal slash line of .175/.271/.294 with six home runs and 18 RBIs.
