Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins delivered a forceful rebuke of outfielder Anthony Santander on Tuesday after the player shared anti-Muslim content on social media following last week's U.S. midterm elections. Speaking at the general managers' meetings, Atkins said there were "really aren't words to express my level of disappointment" regarding Santander's since-deleted posts.
Santander, a Venezuelan native who signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent before the 2025 season, shared videos that included a Christian pastor stating "there is no such thing as kind Muslims" and another implying Sharia law would be imposed in the United States following the election of Abdul El-Sayed to the Senate. The player has since removed the videos from his social media accounts.
"Anything exacerbating some level of hate, anti-Islamic, is just extremely concerning and extremely disappointing," Atkins said, via Sportsnet. "I also talked to Anthony about his lack of awareness, realizing that he has a very large microphone, what that meant. We're working exceptionally hard internally to ensure, and we have been, that it's a safe environment, that baseball is for everyone."
The Blue Jays organization released a statement emphasizing their commitment to inclusivity: "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."
Atkins revealed he told Santander he believed the player should address the matter publicly. "I expressed my level of concern. I believe he felt it. I know he feels badly. But I don't want to speak for him," the GM said. It remains unclear whether Santander plans to make a public statement.
Santander, 29, originally signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela in 2011 at age 16. Injuries have limited him to just 54 games over the past two seasons since joining Toronto.
