By Kristjan Lautens, Staff Reporter
The former catcher began calling games regularly in 1987.
Legendary commentator Buck Martinez announced he is retiring on Friday, after calling more than 4,000 Blue Jays games over his career.
“After the World Series, my wife Arlene and I had plenty of time to think about the past and look forward to the future. After many heartfelt conversations, we both decided it was time for me to step out of the booth and enjoy the years ahead,” the 77-year-old Martinez said in a press release.
As a player, Martinez was traded to Toronto in 1981, a move he thought would be the end of his career. Instead, the California native spent six seasons as the Jays’ catcher before finally hanging up his cleats in 1986 to end a 17-year playing career.
Martinez started calling playoff games while he was still an active player, but became a full-time analyst for TSN in 1987. His broadcast career was briefly interrupted by a brief stint as the Jays manager from 2001 to 2002, where the team went 100-115.
The former catcher also spent some time calling Baltimore Orioles games before returning to the Jays broadcast booth in 2010 with Sportsnet for many more signature “get up ball!” and “swing and a drive!” calls.
“It has been a fantastic journey with Sportsnet, the Blue Jays, and the wonderful Blue Jays fans all over the world,” Martinez said. “Thank you all for embracing me and welcoming my family in a way that has made us feel we are a part of yours.”
Martinez has battled lung cancer in recent years, which forced the broadcaster to reduce his workload while taking extended leaves of absence in 2022 and this past season. He was still able to call every inning of the Jays playoff run and Game 7 of the World Series will end up marking his final broadcast.
“I will miss the ‘selfies’, the handshakes, and the welcoming smiles. I will never forget any of those, nor the unwavering support.”
Martinez told the Star in November that he hoped to come back this summer for what will be the team’s 50th anniversary season.
“But it’s time to pass the torch,” Martinez said Friday. “Enjoy 2026 and beyond. I will see you down the road.”
Dan Shulman, Martinez’s long-time broadcast partner, called him “one of the most significant figures in Blue Jays history.”
“From the first day I worked with Buck way back in 1995 right through Game 7 of the World Series, I couldn’t have asked for a better broadcast partner. No one worked harder, no one cared more,” Shulman said. “Someone who has meant the world to everyone he worked with at Sportsnet, both as a colleague, and even more importantly, as a great friend.”
Martinez won two Sports Emmys in his career, the first for covering Cal Ripken’s record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game for ESPN and another for his work with the Orioles.
The broadcaster also called games for XM Radio, The Baseball Network, and TBS throughout his career, which included five World Series and four World Baseball Classics.
“Buck Martinez is a legend in baseball,” Sportsnet president Greg Sansone added in the release. “His voice is synonymous with summer, and his passion for the sport and dedication to his craft are unrivalled. It has been the highest honour for all of us who have had the pleasure to work with him.”
Sportsnet has not announced Martinez’s official replacement, though analyst Joe Siddall has filled in for Martinez in recent years.