Buck Martinez retiring as Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster after more than 4,000 games

By: The Associated Press Posted: Last Modified:

Advertisement

Advertise with us

TORONTO (AP) — Buck Martinez said Friday he is retiring as a Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster after more than 4,000 games dating to 1987.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/02/2026 (241 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO (AP) — Buck Martinez said Friday he is retiring as a Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster after more than 4,000 games dating to 1987.

Now 77, Martinez was a catcher for the Blue Jays from 1981-86 in the final seasons of a 17-year big league career.

He covered the All-Star Game and the postseason in 1982 for the Telemedia Radio Network and began as a Blue Jays analyst in 1987. He also worked for ESPN, XM Radio, TBS, and MLB International before joining Sportsnet in 2010.

Martinez also managed the Blue Jays in 2001 and for part of the 2002 season, leading the team to a 100-115 record.

“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,” Martinez said in a statement. “I had hoped to be part of the 50th year of the Toronto Blue Jays but it’s time to pass the torch.”

Martinez was diagnosed with cancer in 2022 and took a leave of absence from April 17 to July 26 that year while undergoing treatment.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Related Articles

Dodgers cut reliever Anthony Banda after 2 World Series titles Mark McGwire returns to the Athletics as a special assistant to player development
FILE - Former Oakland Athletics Mark McGwire waves to fans after being inducted into the A's Hall of Fame prior to the baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sept. 21, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
Paul Goldschmidt and the Yankees agree to a $4 million, 1-year contract, AP source says
FILE - New York Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt hits an RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II,File)
Left-hander Brent Suter and Los Angeles Angels finalize $1.25 million, 1-year contract
FILE - Cincinnati Reds' Brent Suter delivers a pitch in the second inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar, File)
Reds' Graham Ashcraft and Rays' Edwin Uceta win arbitration cases as players improve to 5-0
FILE - Cincinnati Reds' Graham Ashcraft pumps his fast after the last out top of the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar, File)
Broadcaster Buck Martinez retires after calling over 4,000 Blue Jays games
Sportsnet sportscasters Dan Shulman (left) and Buck Martinez sit in the commentary booth ahead of Game 7 World Series MLB baseball action between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers in Toronto on Saturday, November 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Orioles acquire versatile Blaze Alexander from D-backs in exchange for 3 players
FILE - Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Blaze Alexander throws during a baseball game in San Francisco, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Pitcher José Urquidy and Pittsburgh Pirates agree to $1.5 million, 1-year contract
FILE - Detroit Tigers pitcher Jose Urquidy throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Sept. 17, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
Tarik Skubal wins salary arbitration case, will be paid record $32 million
FILE - Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws during the first inning in Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners, Oct. 10, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)
Austin Hays looking to play every day with the Chicago White Sox
FILE - Cincinnati Reds' Austin Hays celebrates after scoring on a single from Sal Stewart during the first inning in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card baseball playoff series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oct. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Report Error Submit a Tip

Advertisement

Learn more about Winnipeg Free Press Advertising solutions

More Stories

Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) celebrates after his goal against the Detroit Red Wings with left wing Kyle Connor, left, and center Mark Scheifele (55) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Detroit. (Duane Burleson / The Associated Press)

Connor powers Jets past Red Wings for first win of season

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Preview

Connor powers Jets past Red Wings for first win of season

Ken Wiebe 8 minute read Updated: 6:11 AM CDT

DETROIT — Kyle Connor is on a mission.

Whether it’s the baby bump from the birth of his second child or his constant mission to elevate his game and find new ways to score, the Winnipeg Jets left-winger is flying out of the gate and seemingly notching goals at will.

After scoring in the season opener for an NHL record ninth consecutive time, Connor delivered a pair of goals and added an assist in his home state to lead the Jets to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena.

“The sheer amount of volume that he gets and how he gets himself in a good spot, he’s able to get that release off from anywhere,” said Jets forward Cole Perfetti. “His first one was just all skill. What a finish that was and then his second one, just reading the play so well. (Coming) off the pads like that, kind of in front of him and he put it in a small little window top shelf that no goalie could ever save. He doesn’t panic when he gets into those spots, obviously.

Read
Updated: 6:11 AM CDT

Puzzles Palace

1 minute read Monday, Jul. 27, 2026

To solve our puzzles, please subscribe with this special offer: |

Thank Manitoba’s teachers by investing in students

Lillian Klausen 5 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

Manitoba’s students are settling into a new school year. Whether you graduated in 1986 or 2006, today’s classrooms look very different from the ones you remember.

Students reflect the changing makeup of our communities — differences in social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities and socioeconomic stresses are all increasingly present and adding to the complexity of our classrooms.

Meeting these differing individual needs is no easy feat. It requires manageable class sizes, school counsellors, social workers, specialized resource teachers and investment in the systems that can help students thrive. But when those supports aren’t available, students’ needs don’t disappear. Increasingly, it falls to classroom teachers to try to fill the gaps.

When I started working as a teacher more than 30 years ago, we had budgets for resources when we needed them. Today, the needs of students have diversified and increased, but the funding for our public schools is failing to meet them.

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Kinson Key Games co-founder Dennis Northcott displays his company’s Galactic Cruise board game in his Winnipeg home. The game has sold some 50,000 copies and nabbed several awards.

Board game company charts winning path

Aaron Epp 5 minute read Preview

Board game company charts winning path

Aaron Epp 5 minute read Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

Dennis Northcott has launched a game without frontiers.

The Winnipeg entrepreneur is the co-designer of Galactic Cruise, a board game published last year by Kinson Key Games LLC, the business he co-founded. Since its release, Galactic Cruise has been translated into 11 languages and sold around 50,000 copies worldwide.

It’s also one of three finalists for this year’s Deutsche Spiele Preis, a prestigious community-voted board game award. Northcott will travel to Essen, Germany, later this month, where the winner will be announced at Spiel Essen, an annual board game trade fair.

“It’s been amazing,” Northcott said of the response to Galactic Cruise during an interview in his Island Lakes neighbourhood home earlier this week. “The sales have been great, but it’s also been amazing in terms of people giving their reviews.”

Read
Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
Bombers get ‘whopped’ in Montreal

Bombers get ‘whopped’ in Montreal

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Preview

Bombers get ‘whopped’ in Montreal

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026

MONTREAL — It’s hard to fathom that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers smacked these Montreal Alouettes five weeks ago.

The team that pulled off that 44-28 upset at Princess Auto Stadium was nowhere to be found in La Belle Province on Saturday night.

You can, however, now find them in the basement of the West Division at 7-8 after getting completely outmatched and outclassed by the Als in a 37-10 beatdown.

“This was bad,” left tackle Stanley Bryant told the Free Press postgame. “They basically had their way all around. They whopped our ass.”

Read
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
Reed Hoffmann / The Associated Press Files Travis Kelce

Today’s horoscope

Georgia Nicols 4 minute read Preview

Today’s horoscope

Georgia Nicols 4 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

MOON ALERT: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The moon is in Leo.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Social plans are unpredictable. Likewise, sports and playful activities with children are potentially accident-prone. Be vigilant! Nevertheless, this is a powerful day to make creative advances in the arts, financial speculation and the entertainment world.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Read
2:00 AM CDT