Anthony Santander lashes out at Abdul El-Sayed and gets into trouble with the Blue Jays: “The USA voted in favor of Sharia”

A nthony Santander has found himself at the centre of an off-field controversy after sharing a series of posts attacking Islam in the aftermath of Abdul El-Sayed 's victory in the Michigan Senate election.

The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder reportedly reposted two videos to his Instagram story on Wednesday, November 4, shortly after El-Sayed defeated Republican candidate Mike Rogers in a closely watched race.

One of the posts carried the caption “America voted for Sharia Last Night,” while the other was titled “Islam is not peaceful.”

The content prompted criticism from baseball fans, particularly those supporting Toronto, with screenshots circulating online before the posts disappeared from Santander's account.

One of the videos featured a Christian preacher making the claim that there is “no such thing as kind Muslims.” The other suggested that El-Sayed 's election would lead to Sharia law being imposed in the United States.

Santander has not publicly explained why he shared the videos or issued a statement addressing the reaction.

However, the Blue Jays have made their position clear, emphasising that the outfielder's personal social media activity should not be confused with the organisation's principles.

A spokesperson for the franchise told The Athletic: “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.”

The response represents a public distancing from Santander , although the team has not announced any disciplinary action against him.

El-Sayed's historic victory brings the controversy into focus

The political result behind the incident was significant. El-Sayed defeated Rogers on November 3, securing Michigan's open Senate seat and making history as the first Muslim American elected to the United States Senate. He is expected to take office in January 2027.

The 42-year-old Democrat is the son of Egyptian immigrants and previously served as Michigan's director of health and human services. His campaign focused on issues including universal healthcare, reducing the influence of corporate money in politics and the cost of living.

His victory came after a divisive campaign in which his Muslim faith became a subject of political attacks. The Associated Press reported that Republican figures repeatedly attempted to associate him with terrorist organisations, despite there being no evidence of such connections.

Santander's posts therefore attracted attention beyond the usual reaction to a professional athlete expressing political opinions, particularly because the videos made sweeping claims about an entire religious community.

There is also a precedent for controversy involving Blue Jays players and social media. In 2023, reliever Anthony Bass faced backlash after sharing content supporting boycotts of businesses associated with the LGBTQ community.

Toronto subsequently released him, although the organisation described the move as a “baseball decision” rather than directly attributing it to the controversy.

Santander's situation is complicated by his playing future. The 32-year-old signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto before the 2025 season, but his time with the club has been heavily disrupted by injury.

He appeared in only 54 games during his first campaign, recording a .175 batting average, a .271 on-base percentage and a .294 slugging percentage, with six home runs and 18 RBIs. Shoulder surgery then ruled him out of the entire 2026 MLB season.

With three guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract, Santander still has a substantial commitment from Toronto to fulfil. For now, however, the immediate issue is the reaction to his social media activity, with the Blue Jays having made clear that the views expressed in those posts do not represent the club.