Anthony Santander appeared to be unhappy with Michigan electing Abdul El-Sayed on Tuesday, as the Blue Jays outfielder made multiple posts on social media attacking the senator-elect’s Muslim faith.

Santander, 32, reposted two videos to his Instagram story attacking the Democrat, with one captioned “America voted for Sharia Last Night,” and the other titled “Islam is not peaceful.”

In a statement to The Athletic, a spokesperson for the Blue Jays rebuked Santander’s posts, saying that they do not reflect the franchise’s values.

“Baseball is for everyone and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark,” the statement read. “Individual comments do not represent our organization’s values and beliefs.”

Before being removed, the posts were captured and shared on social media, with many Toronto fans pushing back on the Venezuelan outfielder.

Santander’s comments come after El-Sayed defeated Republican opponent Mike Rogers in a highly contested election on Tuesday.

Michigan Democratic Senator-Elect Abdul El-Sayed speaks at the party’s election night event at Hudson’s in Detroit on Nov. 4, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

He will become the first Muslim U.S. Senator once he takes office in January.

More coverage of the 2026 midterm elections:

• Live updates on the midterm elections
• NY suburbs’ last GOP strongholds flip as blue wave makes history on Long Island, Westchester
• Dems prep anti-Trump blitz during first 100 hours when they take back Congress
• Dem House majority swells to Obama-era levels as more GOP incumbents are wiped out
• NY’s top 5 most expensive House races include a whopping $308M in total spending

Toronto has made roster decisions following controversial posts from players before, with reliever Anthony Bass being released two weeks after sharing a post supporting anti-LGBTQ boycotts back in 2023.

Anthony Santander of the Toronto Blue Jays takes the field before Game 3 of the ALCS against the Seattle Mariners in Seattle on Oct. 15, 2025. MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Blue Jays, however, insisted that his release was a “baseball decision.”

Santander, who has been injured since the 2025 postseason, is in the middle of a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto, with three years left on his deal.

His Blue Jays tenure has been nothing short of a disaster, however, playing in just 54 games and posting an abysmal slash line of .175/.271/.294 with six home runs and 18 RBIs.