Toronto Blue Jays player Anthony Santander has been criticized after sharing two Islamophobic videos on his Instagram account following Tuesday’s U.S. election.
The videos, which were posted to his Instagram story and then deleted according to CTV News, included claims that Muslim politicians elected to office in the United States were radicals who wanted to impose Sharia law. Another featured a Christian minister describing Islam as a violent religion and claiming there was no such thing as a kind Muslim.
Santander has since deleted both posts, but not before they attracted criticism from fans on social media.
Toronto is home to a large Muslim population, and the Blue Jays have made a public commitment to diversity and inclusion. So, some immediate reaction from the team seems not just warranted but essential.
So far, a spokesperson for the team got back to CTV News, and said the posts did not reflect the organization’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. https://t.co/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 spokesperson said in the statement. “Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”
The question remains: Is that good enough?
The 32-year-old Venezuelan outfielder missed the 2026 season because of a shoulder injury. He signed a five-year, $92.5-million contract with Toronto ahead of the 2025 season but has played just 54 games for the team.
Santander is scheduled to enter the third year of his contract in 2027.
There have been no public apologies from Santander or the Blue Jays at this point.