Toronto Blue Jays' Anthony Santander apologizes for Islamophobic posts

More than a week after Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander reshared two Islamophobic posts to his Instagram story, the 32-year-old has apologized to fans.

The two-time All-Star shared a public statement on Friday to his Instagram story reflecting on his actions.

"After taking time to reflect on my recent social media posts and speaking with people I trust and respect, I recognize that I should have been more thoughtful about what I shared on my platform," the message reads.

"I realize that this content caused hurt, and I sincerely apologize. I should have been more thoughtful about what I shared, recognizing the responsibility that comes with having a public voice.

"As a man of faith, it is my belief that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their religion, background, or beliefs. After hearing feedback from those I hurt, I realize that the content I shared fell short of my own convictions.

"I would like to affirm my respect for the Muslim community and for the dignity and freedom of people of every faith and background.

"From this experience, I have learned to ensure that none of my communications promote hate or give the impression that I support hatred, discrimination, or violence against anyone."

@anthonysantander/Instagram

The two Islamophobic posts were reshared to his page on Nov. 4 in response to the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections.

The first post on his story was captioned "America voted for Sharia Last Night," which contained a scratched-out image of newly elected Michigan senator Abdul El-Sayed, who happens to be an American-Egyptian politician.

That was followed by a second post that featured a Christian podcaster who made a series of Islamophobic remarks, claiming that "Islam is not peaceful" and saying there is "no such thing as kind Muslims."

@anthonysantander/Instagram

When the story first broke on Nov.5, the Blue Jays organization issued a statement to Offside that read: "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 Toronto Blue Jays organization and team president Mark Shapiro came out with a joint statement on Nov. 12, saying that they 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. The Blue Jays will continue to ensure our organization reflects the inclusive community we are proud to call home," the statement read.

Now that Santander has apologized, the big question will likely turn to his future with the Blue Jays organization, and whether he'll be with the team come 2027 Spring Training in February.

Santander is still under contract with the Blue Jays for three more seasons and is owed $62.5 million over that span. Toronto has no potential buyout option on Santander until the 2029 season.