Anthony Santander has issued an apology on his Instagram account after the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder shared anti-Muslim messages earlier this month.
"After taking time to reflect on my recent social posts and speaking with people I trust and respect, I recognize that I should have been more thoughtful about what I shared on my platform," Santander wrote in his statement. "I realize that this content caused hurt and I sincerely apologize."
Santander, in the week of the U.S. midterm elections, shared a post with a thumbnail of Abdul El-Sayed, the senator-elect in Michigan, saying "America voted for Sharia last night" and another reading "Islam is not peaceful" via Instagram. The posts have since been deleted.
"Anything exacerbating some level of hate, anti-Islamic, is just extremely concerning and extremely disappointing," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said in Las Vegas earlier this week.
Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro also released a statement, apologizing on Thursday on behalf of the organization and pledging to "work with leaders in Muslim communities to fight all forms of hate."
The Blue Jays signed Santander ahead of the 2025 season, but multiple shoulder injuries have limited him to just 54 regular-season games in the two years since.
"I would like to affirm my respect for the Muslim community and for the dignity and freedom of people of every faith and background," he continued in his statement. "From this experience, I have learned to ensure that none of my communications promote hate or give the impression that I support hatred, discrimination, or violence against anyone."
