Blue Jays Release Statement After Anthony Santander’s Anti-Muslim Reposts

After Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections, Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander reposted a couple of anti-Muslim Instagram stories. He deleted the posts, but the backlash was swift. On Thursday, the Blue Jays released a statement to reporters after being asked about Santander’s posts from earlier this week. “Baseball is for everyone, and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not reflect our organization’s values and beliefs,” the statement said. In one image, Santander shared a photo of Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, recently elected to the U.S. Senate from Michigan, who will become the first Muslim senator in history. The post read, “America voted for Sharia Last Night!” Another post stated, “Islam is not peaceful.” Although Santander quickly deleted the posts, the backlash and criticism were immediate. Ex-Marlins President Reacts to Anthony Santander Controversy David Samson, the former president of the Miami Marlins, criticized Anthony Santander for not providing a disclaimer while sharing the controversial social media posts. He argued that professional sports teams function as businesses, not just athletic entities. “The problem with that post is that it forgot to come with the very famous disclaimer,” Samson said on his “Nothing Personal with David Samson” podcast, streamed on YouTube on Friday. “I think you’ve heard of it: ‘The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the organization, its affiliates, or its employees.’ Does that sound familiar to 69.2% of this audience? It should.” “That is the disclaimer that comes at the end of every opinion show that’s ever been on television or radio,” he added. “The owners of television stations such as CBS, NBC, and Disney, as well as radio station owners such as Audacy and iHeart, want to make it clear that the views expressed by their opinion makers, issue discussers, and conversationalists do not necessarily reflect what they’re thinking in the suite.” After hitting 44 home runs and driving in 102 runs for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2024 campaign, Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal with Toronto on January 20, 2025. Injuries have limited him to 54 games, six home runs, and 18 RBIs across his two seasons with the Blue Jays. With three years remaining on his contract, Santander is still part of Toronto’s 2027 plans, general manager Ross Atkins said earlier this offseason. Also read: “Yankees Clubhouse Seems So Dysfunctional Right Now” – Fans React After Reports Emerge of Aaron Judge & Jazz Chisholm Jr. Rift In Clubhouse “Don’t See the Dodgers Shelling Out a Long-Term Mega Contract for Tarik Skubal” – Dodgers Insider Explains Why Kyle Tucker-like Deal Is The Way to Go College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis , college football , men’s college basketball , women’s college basketball , and college baseball !