Toronto Blue Jays’ Venezuelan outfielder apologizes after backlash over posts linking El-Sayed to Sharia law

"I realize that this content caused hurt and I sincerely apologize," Santander said in a statement.

"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," he added. "After hearing feedback from those I hurt, I realize that the content I shared fell short of my own convictions."

The Venezuelan outfielder faced criticism after sharing a series of posts on Instagram. Following El-Sayed’s election in the midterms, Santander shared a post captioned “America voted for Sharia Last Night,” and another titled “Islam is not peaceful.” The videos featured a Christian preacher who claimed that "There is no such thing as kind Muslims.”

In response to the posts, the Blue Jays issued a statement emphasizing that individual comments made by players do not represent the team’s “values and beliefs.”

"Baseball is for everyone, and the Blue Jays have created an inclusive experience where all fans feel welcome at our ballpark," the team said.

Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shaprio also said the organization had met with “leaders in Toronto’s Muslim communities, who shared the harm caused by Anthony Santander’s Islamophobic media posts.”

“The Blue Jays 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,” Shapiro added.

El-Sayed is set to become the first Muslim US senator in history when he takes office in January. He defeated Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched race that also saw his Democratic primary opponent, Representative Haley Stevens, endorse Rogers.

Following his election, El-Sayed announced plans to launch his own leadership political action committee, called “Habibi PAC.” The Arabic term translates to “my beloved” or “my friend” and is used as a term of endearment.