Blue Jays issue apology to Muslim community over outfielder's anti-Muslim posts

Toronto Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Mark Shapiro said the club met with leaders of the city’s Muslim community on Thursday to discuss the “pain and harm” caused by outfielder Anthony Santander’s Islamophobic social-media posts shared on Nov. 4. He said the meeting reinforced the organization’s values and that the team condemns Islamophobia and all forms of hate.

“The Blue Jays are deeply sorry to the Muslim community and our fans for the pain and harm these Islamophobic posts have caused. We will work with leaders in Muslim communities to fight against all forms of hate,” Shapiro said in a statement.

General manager Ross Atkins told reporters that he had spoken with Santander and asked him to address the controversy publicly, but the player has not yet issued a comment or apology. Atkins expressed disappointment with the situation.

The posts included videos featuring a Christian preacher claiming “there is no such thing as kind Muslims” and another suggesting Sharia law would be imposed in the United States after a Senate election in Michigan.

The Blue Jays, the only Major League Baseball team in Canada, noted that more than 1.78 million Canadians identified as Muslim in the 2021 census, with about 10 percent of Toronto’s residents belonging to the faith. National Council of Canadian Muslims media lead Steven Zhou said the meeting was a “positive step” and highlighted the organization’s commitment to training the player and issuing a public apology. Zhou added that the community’s response had been “very upset.”

Santander, a 32-year-old Venezuelan who signed a five-year, US$92.5 million contract with Toronto in January 2025, missed the 2024 season due to injury and posted a .175 batting average with six home runs in 54 games for the Blue Jays in 2025. The team has not indicated whether disciplinary action will be taken, and it has not responded to inquiries about potential violations of social-media policies or contract clauses. Spring training is set for February, though a collective- bargaining agreement expiration could trigger a lockout next month.