The Toronto Blue Jays moved Thursday to distance the organization from a series of Islamophobic videos shared to Anthony Santander’s verified Instagram account, saying the outfielder’s posts “do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs,” RDS.ca reported. The statement came a day after Santander posted the content to his Instagram stories following the U.S. midterm elections.
USA Today reported that screenshots showed Santander had shared two reels to his personal page on Wednesday, Nov. 4. One featured Abdul El-Sayed, the Michigan Democrat who won a contested U.S. Senate race and became the first Muslim elected to the Senate, with a caption reading, “America voted for Sharia (law) last night!” The other carried the caption “Islam is not peaceful.” RDS.ca reported that among the videos was one of a Christian preacher declaring, “There are no good Muslims.”
How the Posts Surfaced and Disappeared
The posts appeared on Santander’s verified Instagram stories on Wednesday, Nov. 4, the day after nationwide elections, USA Today reported. Both were no longer visible by Thursday night. Because Instagram stories expire after 24 hours, it was unclear whether Santander deleted them early, but users had already circulated screenshots across their own social media accounts, USA Today reported.
RDS.ca reported that Santander removed the videos on Thursday, after the Blue Jays were made aware of them. The team then issued its statement to multiple publications that day.
What the Blue Jays Said
“Baseball is for everyone,” the team said in its statement, “and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark. Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”
The statement stopped short of announcing any disciplinary action against Santander, and USA Today reported that the outlet had reached out to the team without receiving a response at the time of publication.
Who Abdul El-Sayed Is
El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the first Muslim American senator, RDS.ca reported. During his campaign he was the target of Islamophobic rhetoric and often mocked his right-wing critics while defending the Palestinian cause and highlighting his faith and cultural heritage. His Michigan Senate victory was a focal point of the videos Santander shared.
Santander’s Season in Toronto
Santander, 32, is a native of Venezuela who spent his first eight major league seasons with Baltimore before signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto, RDS.ca reported. USA Today reported he was limited to just 54 regular-season games in 2025 because of a left shoulder subluxation and underwent shoulder surgery in February. He returned in time to play in five playoff games, but a back injury forced his removal from the ALCS roster, ending his season. The Blue Jays went 79-83 in 2025, missed the playoffs in the regular-season standings figure cited by USA Today, then reached the World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.
Where the Story Stands
The videos are gone from Santander’s account, the Blue Jays have publicly rejected their content, and no further statement from the player or the team has been reported.
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