Buck Martinez in discussions with Sportsnet to return to Toronto Blue Jays broadcasts

For several generations of Toronto Blue Jays fans, the distinctive voice of Buck Martinez has been a defining part of their game-watching experience.

A former player and manager for the Blue Jays, Martinez’s legacy has been defined by his time in the broadcast booth as the voice behind many of the team’s most legendary moments.

And at age 75, he’s looking to keep his career going forward.

Sportsnet confirmed to Offside that discussions are ongoing to bring back Martinez for another season, following a report from Toronto Star contributor Jonah Sigel.

Martinez was sidelined from May until August while undergoing cancer treatments after originally receiving a diagnosis in 2022, which kept him off the mic for nearly a year.

Questions of Martinez’s future have been ongoing for several years now, given his age and cancer diagnosis.

And while the health scares could be enough to keep most people away from their jobs, it seems to have had the opposite effect for Martinez.

“I want to come back next season,” Martinez told Sigel. “I haven’t lost much off my fastball yet.”

It is not clear exactly how many of the Jays’ 162 games plus a potential postseason Martinez would work in 2026.

Though Martinez has shared the broadcast booth alongside many names over the years, he’s best known for calling games alongside play-by-play commentator Dan Shulman.

This past season, Martinez and Shulman had the opportunity to work in front of the biggest audience they’ve ever had, with an estimated 45 per cent of Canadians tuning in to the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series.

And while those numbers are bound to dip once the Blue Jays compete for another shot at the postseason next spring, it’s safe to say there is easily going to be a whole new legion of fans.

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