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Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schnieder may have summed it up perfectly. “It will be kind of weird without Buck here," he said pregame on Friday. Schnieder isn't wrong. Buck Martinez dedicated most of his life to the Toronto Blue Jays, whether it was as a player, manager, or broadcaster. The recently retired 77-year-old called over 4,000 games with the team before announcing his retirement in February. Even though he's no longer around the team, he certainly hasn't been forgotten. Schnieder made that evident when he went out of his way to show love to Martinez on opening day. "I want to give him a shoutout and hope he’s doing well," the Jays' manager said. Schnieder even referenced one of his classic calls before Friday's game. “Hopefully, we can have a ‘get up and get out of here’ ball at a good time today." As the Blue Jays spent some time honouring Martinez's legendary career, players offered their thoughts on the icon. "He's a unique voice behind the mic," Jose Berrios said. "People recognize him every time he speaks." But, as Kevin Gausman pointed out, it wasn't just the voice that made him special. "The insights that he has during the game, because he played such a premier position for such a long time, are really second to none." "Buck Martinez is the epitome of what it means to be a Toronto Blue Jay." ? The Blue Jays show their respect to the voice of the franchise ? pic.twitter.com/7kp3NJOa5I — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 27, 2026 However, the biggest praise for Martinez may have come from the Jays' biggest star. "He's a good man," Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said. "He gives you a lot of advice for how to play the game." Although Martinez hasn't been an MLB manager since 2002, he was often spotted at Jays' practices, chatting with players. "Great clubhouse person and it's just always a fun time being able to spend some time with him and talk baseball," Daulton Varsho said. Joe Siddall was tabbed as Martinez's replacement following his retirement. Siddall, another former MLB catcher, had been working as a Jays' analyst for Sportsnet since 2018. Before that, he was with the Blue Jays radio broadcast team. Although Martinez is gone from the booth and the clubhouse, the praise for him from Jays players is strong. "The only thing I can say to you, Buck, is thank you, and I love you, man," Guerrero Jr. said.
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