Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Antony Santander (32), of the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), bowed his head after causing a stir by sharing a hateful Muslim post on SNS. [Yonhap News] 사진 확대 Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Antony Santander (32), of the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), bowed his head after causing a stir by sharing a hateful Muslim post on SNS. [Yonhap News]

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Antony Santander (32), of the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), bowed his head after causing a stir by sharing a hateful Muslim post on SNS.

Santander apologized on his Instagram on the 14th (Korea Standard Time), saying, “The content I shared hurt me and it was an act that went against my beliefs.” “Through conversations with trustees, I realized that I should have felt responsible as a public figure and should have been more careful about sharing posts,” he said. “I respect the Muslim community and will not share content that promotes hatred in the future.”

Earlier on the 5th, Santander shared a video of a Christian pastor claiming that “no good Muslims” and that Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim-American elected to the federal Senate in Michigan, would spread Islamic law (Sharia) in the United States, but deleted it the next day as the controversy spread.

As the controversy intensified, Toronto’s president, Mark Shuffiro, met with community leaders and apologized to the Muslim community, and general manager Ross Atkins also called for Santander to express his position publicly, leading to the apology. However, whether or not to take additional disciplinary action at the club level has not yet been decided.

Santander, who is from Venezuela, signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto in January 2025 after playing eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. However, due to the aftermath of the shoulder injury, he did not play a single game in the 2026 season, and the rumors overlapped, further narrowing his position within the team.

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