Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez announced his retirement on Friday.
The 77-year-old Martinez began his broadcasting career in the late-1980s with TSN following the conclusion of a 17-year pro career.
“It’s hard to believe I came to Toronto in a trade in May of 1981, thinking that would be the end of a very good career,” Martinez said in a statement. “Little did I know that I still would be associated with the Blue Jays through the 2025 season. What a glorious season it was. It was a joy and an honour to be involved in each and every game through Game 7 of the World Series. Only one other outcome could have topped the fantastic year. After the World Series, my wife Arlene and I had plenty of time to think about the past and look forward to our future. After many heartfelt conversations, we both decided it was time for me to step out of the booth and enjoy the years ahead.”
A native of Redding, CA, Martinez appeared in 1,086 games from 1969 to 1986 with the Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals.
From 2001 to 2002, Martinez served as Blue Jays manager, dismissed midway through the 2002 season. He ended his tenure with a record of 100-115 (.465). He would later serve as field manager for Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Martinez had a number of partners in the booth over his career, most notably Fergie Olver, Jim Hughson, Pat Tabler and Dan Shulman.
From 2003 to 2009, Martinez was a part of Baltimore Orioles broadcasts on MASN. He returned to Blue Jays coverage full-time with Rogers Sportsnet in 2010, this time as a play-by-play man. With Shulman’s return to the Jays booth in 2016, Martinez shifted back into an analyst role.
In 2022, Martinez announced a cancer diagnosis and took a months-long sabbatical from coverage.
On top of Martinez’s Blue Jays duties, he also served as the analyst for the international broadcast of the World Series from 2016 to 2020.
