Blue Jays distance themselves from Santander's anti-Muslim posts

The Toronto Blue Jays said a series of anti-Muslim videos posted by outfielder Anthony Santander on his social media account do not represent the team’s values, ESPN reported, and the Associated Press confirmed.

Santander posted the videos in the aftermath of the U.S. midterm elections and deleted them on Thursday. The videos included a Christian preacher saying, “There is no such thing as kind Muslims,” with another suggesting Sharia law would be imposed on the U.S. after Abdul El-Sayed was elected to the Senate in Michigan.

El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, will become the first Muslim American U.S. senator. He was the target of Islamophobic rhetoric on the campaign trail and often mocked his critics while championing the Palestinian cause and leaning into his faith.

“Baseball is for everyone, and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark,” the team said. “Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”

Santander, 32, is from Venezuela. He spent his first eight major league seasons with Baltimore before signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto. He missed the entire 2026 season after having shoulder surgery following his first year with the Blue Jays.

What the coverage missed

ESPN and AP both report the facts: the posts, the deletion, the statement. Neither asks what the Blue Jays plan to do about it. The statement says the posts do not represent the team. It does not say Santander faces any discipline, any fine, any mandatory training or any conversation with the front office. The language is the language of distance, not accountability.

Santander is under contract for five years and $92.5 million. He is injured and did not play this season. The Blue Jays cannot cut him without eating the money. They can fine him under the collective bargaining agreement, but they have not said they will. The statement is a press release, not a consequence.

The posts were not ambiguous. Santander shared videos claiming there is no such thing as kind Muslims and warning of Sharia law, posted the same week the first Muslim American was elected to the Senate. He deleted them, which suggests he knows they were wrong, or at least that they were bad for his image. But deletion is not apology, and a team statement is not discipline.

What I think

The Blue Jays did the minimum. They issued a statement. They distanced themselves. They did not fine Santander, did not suspend him, did not require him to speak publicly, and did not say whether anyone in the organization had spoken to him. The statement was written to end the story, not to address it.

Santander posted anti-Muslim content during a week when a Muslim American was elected to the Senate for the first time. The posts were not dog whistles. They were explicit. A team that says “baseball is for everyone” should be able to say more than “individual comments do not represent our values” when a player under contract says the opposite.

The Blue Jays have a Muslim fan base. Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in North America. The statement the team issued was written for the press, not for those fans. If the Blue Jays mean what they said, they should show it. A fine, a public apology from Santander, a donation to an organization that does interfaith work in Toronto. Something. Anything. A statement is not enough.