Toronto Blue Jays manager rebukes Anthony Santander over social media posts

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins addressed reporters on Tuesday at the Major League Baseball general managers meetings in Las Vegas to condemn anti-Muslim social media posts made by outfielder Anthony Santander. The New York Post reported that Atkins expressed severe disappointment directly to Santander regarding posts shared on his Instagram Story following the election of Democrat Abdul El-Sayed to the United States Senate. CBS Sports also reported that Atkins told Santander he needs to address his comments publicly. [1][2][3]

Santander shared posts criticizing El-Sayed after the Democrat defeated Republican challenger Mike Rogers in the Michigan midterm election, according to the New York Post. Yahoo Sports reported that Santander has faced mounting criticism over the posts, with public calls growing for him to issue an apology. [1][4]

The latest comments follow an earlier rebuke from the team, as FTMQ News reported earlier. Santander had previously reposted videos on Instagram targeting El-Sayed and his Muslim faith before deleting them after public backlash. The team stated at the time that the posts did not reflect the values of the Toronto Blue Jays organisation. [8]

Santander is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder who made his Major League Baseball debut in 2017, played for the Baltimore Orioles, and was named an All-Star in 2024. Atkins was appointed as the sixth general manager in Toronto Blue Jays history in December 2015 after working 15 years for the Cleveland Indians. [5][7]