Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander issued a formal apology on Friday for sharing anti-Muslim content on his Instagram account.
The posts appeared on his social media platform following the Nov. 3 midterm elections, during which Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the United States Senate, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
One video shared by the veteran player featured El-Sayed with a caption claiming America had voted for Sharia law, while another post stated that Islam is not peaceful, according to The Detroit News.
Santander deleted the content after drawing immediate condemnation from his team.
During the general meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins expressed his frustration regarding the incident.
Atkins stated, “There really aren’t words to express my level of disappointment.”
Atkins further noted that any rhetoric exacerbating anti-Islamic sentiment is extremely concerning for the organization.
Following these remarks, team officials met with members of the local Muslim community in Toronto to listen and learn.
Blue Jays CEO Mark Shapiro addressed the situation on Thursday, stating, “We condemn Islamophobia and all forms of hate.”
In his five-paragraph apology posted Friday, Santander acknowledged that he should have been more thoughtful regarding his public platform.
The 32-year-old outfielder expressed a commitment to ensuring his future communications do not promote discrimination or violence.
El-Sayed, who defeated Mike Rogers by 7 percentage points, is scheduled to take office this coming January, per reports from Yahoo News.
Santander, a 10-year veteran, remains under contract with the Blue Jays through the conclusion of his five-year agreement.