When the Toronto Blue Jays take the field this season, it will be without a longtime voice in the radio booth as broadcaster Buck Martinez announced his retirement Friday after more than four decades.
“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,” Martinez said in a news release.
Martinez, 77, finished his 17-year playing career as a catcher with six seasons in Toronto, retiring in 1986 and starting his broadcast career the following year as the Blue Jays’ color commentator.
He worked as both a play-by-play announcer and color commentator for most of the next four decades, calling more than 4,000 games, with a brief break to manage the Blue Jays from 2001-02.
“Buck Martinez is a legend in baseball,” Sportsnet president Greg Sansone said in the statement. “His voice is synonymous with summer, and his passion for the sport and dedication to his craft are unrivaled. It has been the highest honor for all of us who have had the pleasure to work with him.”
Martinez’ final call in the booth was Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings last November.
“It has been a fantastic journey with Sportsnet, the Blue Jays and the wonderful Blue Jays fans all over the world. Thank you all for embracing me and welcoming my family and me in a way that has made us feel like we are part of yours,” Martinez said.
“I look forward to continuing to root for the Blue Jays along with you, and you’ll always be in my heart.”
