After more than four decades as an integral part of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Buck Martinez announced his retirement from the broadcast booth.

Martinez’s first game with the Blue Jays came as a player in 1981. And his final game with the Blue Jays was Game 7 of the 2025 World Series as a broadcaster. Friday morning, Sportsnet and the Toronto Blue Jays shared a statement from Martinez announcing his retirement.

Thank you for everything, Buck 💙 pic.twitter.com/NfIuAAjiDj

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) February 6, 2026

“It has been a fantastic journey with Sportsnet, the Blue Jays and the wonderful Blue Jays fans all over the world,” the statement from Martinez reads. “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. I will dearly miss my working partners, the leadership at Rogers, and the Toronto Blue Jays baseball club, all of whom made it so much fun to be at the ballpark talking about the game I’ve loved for my whole life. As to the fans specifically, I will miss the “selfies,” the handshakes and the welcoming smiles. I will never forget any of those, nor the unwavering support and generosity, which has meant more than words can say. I look forward to continuing to root for the Blue Jays along with you, and you’ll always be in my heart. My sincere appreciation to all of you.”

“Buck has been one of the most prominent figures in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays, dedicating decades to the game he loves and to this organization as a player, manager, and broadcaster,” added Mark Shapiro, President & CEO, Toronto Blue Jays. “Buck has connected generations of fans with his passion, insight, and unparalleled storytelling. His legacy extends far beyond the microphone, and he will always hold a special place in the hearts of Canadian baseball fans.”

The 76-year-old has been with the Blue Jays for the better part of four decades, contributing to the organization as a player, manager and broadcaster. In recent years, the beloved Blue Jays analyst was working a reduced schedule of about 100 games.

During the 2025 MLB season, Buck Martinez took a leave of absence for what he described as a “little health setback.” It was later announced that Martinez had been battling lung cancer, this after he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in 2022. Martinez returned to the Blue Jays booth in August last season and continued to work through the playoffs and World Series, which he called the entirety of alongside Dan Shulman for Sportsnet.

“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 of Martinez. “He’s one of the most significant figures in Blue Jays history, and 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.”

After the World Series, Martinez began discussing his future as a broadcaster with his wife, and ultimately decided it was time to retire.

“I had hoped to be part of the 50th year of the Toronto Blue Jays but it’s time to pass the torch. Enjoy 2026 and beyond, I will see you down the road.”

Buck Martinez called his first game as a broadcaster in 1982, when he covered the ALCS, World Series and All-Star Game for the Telemedia Radio Network as an active player for the Blue Jays. In addition to Sportsnet, Martinez also had career stops at TBS, The Baseball Network, TSN and MLB International. In 2023, Martinez was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame after being honored with the Jack Graney Award which is presented to a member of the Canadian media for their contributions to baseball in Canada.