The Toronto Blue Jays dropped a statement Thursday, making it crystal clear they’re distancing the club from some serious anti-Islam Instagram posts by outfielder Anthony Santander. This all blew up after Santander shared a couple of reels on his Instagram story, posts that hit the internet right after the U.S. midterm elections saw Democrats grab control of the House, Senate, and a bunch of state governments.
What Exactly Did He Post?
Seriously, this is rough. Santander’s first video was from an account tracking the number of Muslims elected to government spots, specifically calling out Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed from Michigan. The video then claimed, “All good Muslims believe in and want Sharia law instead of American law.” His second video featured a Christian minister who declared, among other things, that there is “no such thing as kind Muslims.” Oof. Both posts have since been yanked from Santander’s IG story, which is no surprise there.
When CTV News Toronto’s Paul Ross reached out for comment, the Blue Jays fired back with this statement: “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 represent our organization’s values and beliefs.” That’s a strong statement, and honestly, they had to say something. Especially when you consider Canadian census data from 2021 shows Toronto itself has a 9.6% Muslim population, and Muslims make up 4.9% of Canada overall. That’s a huge part of their community.
The $92.5 Million Question
Now, here’s where it gets even messier for the Jays. Anthony Santander was born and raised in Venezuela, came to the U.S. after signing with the Cleveland Indians as a teenager, and spent his entire MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles. He joined the Blue Jays on a massive five-year, $92.5 million contract after the 2024 season. But here’s the kicker: he hasn’t even played a game for the Blue Jays in over a year.
His first season with the club back in 2025 was a bust, playing only 54 games because of a lingering shoulder injury. When he did play, his slash line was a brutal .175/.271/.294. The injury just got worse during the 2025 postseason, forcing him to get surgery on his left labrum. He started a rehab assignment this past September but only managed to get into five games before the season wrapped up without him ever making it back to the MLB club.
So, the Blue Jays are publicly distancing themselves from a player who’s been a non-factor on the field for over a year. And get this: he still has three guaranteed seasons left on that monster contract after 2026, with a salary ranging from $15.5 million to $19.2 million with deferrals. Plus, there’s a $15 million team option for 2030. That’s a huge chunk of change to a player who’s injured, underperforming, and now causing serious PR issues. What a mess for the Blue Jays front office to deal with heading into the off-season. They’re on the hook for a lot of cash, and now they’ve got this firestorm.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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