'I sincerely apologize': Blue Jays outfielder Santander apologizes days after anti-Muslim social media posts

Detailed summary

Santander said in an Instagram post Friday that reflection and conversations with people he trusts made him recognize he should have been more thoughtful about what he shared.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander apologized Friday for sharing anti-Muslim social media posts, saying the content caused hurt and fell short of his own convictions.

In a statement on Instagram, Santander said reflection and conversations with people he trusts made him recognize he should have been more thoughtful about what he shared and the responsibility that comes with having a public voice.

He expressed respect for the Muslim community and pledged to avoid sharing content that promotes hate.

Santander shared the posts on Nov. 4 and deleted them the next morning. They included a video of a Christian preacher disparaging Muslims and another suggesting Sharia law would be imposed on the United States after Abdul El-Sayed’s election to the Senate in Michigan.

His apology came a day after Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Mark Shapiro apologized to the Muslim community and fans following a meeting with community leaders, and after general manager Ross Atkins asked Santander to publicly address the controversy.

The 32-year-old Venezuelan signed a five-year, $92.5-million US contract with Toronto in January 2025 but missed the entire 2026 big-league season because of injuries. It remains unclear whether the team will discipline him over the posts.

Opening of the article, excerpted from CBC News. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.