One of the Blue Jays’ finest three-day stretches of the 2026 season took place at Rogers Centre, this weekend, featuring a sweep of the disappointing Mariners and an uplifting celebration, surrounding franchise icon, Buck Martinez.
The unlikely three-game sweep of the M’s concluded Sunday, with a convincing 7-0 win against an offensively challenged Seattle squad. The Jays’ 68th win was keyed by homers from Alejandro Kirk and Kaz Okamoto, with another solid table-setting job from rookie centre fielder and leadoff man, Brett Bateman.
But the eye-opener was provided by 42-year-old starter, Max Scherzer, who tossed seven shutout innings, allowing one hit with a walk and 10 strikeouts, passing Hall-of-Famer Gaylord Perry into ninth place on the all-time strikeouts list.
Scherzer, at 57 innings, also moved to within eight frames of his first $1M bonus which kicks in, according to terms of his unique one-year contract, at 65 IP and repeats itself with another cool mill’ every 10 innings thereafter. Mad Max has become the clear No. 3 starter behind Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano.
The Jays on Monday enjoy an off day before a three-game set in Cleveland, then on to Kansas City (3) and Sacramento (3). The Jays are chasing the Guardians, sitting 1.5 games out of the AL’s third wildcard spot, but still in a mix of seven teams that believe they have a chance in this watered down race to be dancing in October.
The O’s are a half game ahead of the Jays, with the Rangers, Twins, M’s and Tigers all within 5.5 games of Cleveland. The Jays remaining schedule of 24 games includes 15 intramural tilts within that competing group of seven.
Buck’s Hall-of-Excellence Ceremony
There is a certain irony to the construct of the Buck Martinez bobblehead, distributed on Sunday at Rogers Centre, as the franchise icon was ushered into the stadium’s glitzy new Hall-of-Excellence, located in the stadium’s right-field corner. All of the names from the existing Level of Excellence have been transferred to the new museum on Level 100 and all the living members were on hand to fete Buck.
The unique, three-tiered bobblehead handed out to fans included images of Martinez as player, manager and broadcaster. The irony is that among the invited guests and previous Hall members who had gathered on the field to help in the celebration, plus the spiritual presence of the late Tony Fernandez, Tom Cheek and Roy Halladay, Buck was not any of the best player, the best manager, or the best broadcaster, but his combination of excellence at all three was definitely unmatched. He’s unique.
“I never really thought that I was that important…and I still don’t think that I was that important, but to hear the fans…” Martinez offered at his in-game press conference.
“I went down to the lobby of the hotel and I just couldn’t move. It’s interesting about Canadian fans. The first thing they tell you is where they’re from. They say I’m from New Brunswick; I’m from Calgary; I came here from Winnipeg. They’re so proud that they came this far to watch the Blue Jays. For people that never played here, they don’t realize what a great place it is to play. I didn’t realize in 1981 and realized it by the time I left in 1986.”
Martinez has always worn his heart on his sleeve and is one of the most genuinely empathetic people I have met over 54 years in and around the major-league game. Every time he walked across the field or stepped into an elevator or sat down in a restaurant, he was available to speak to fans. Never did he use a cellphone as a prop, in fact I don’t ever recall seeing him on a cellphone. He was a fan of the people.
“It’s very, very humbling to be considered …” Buck said of Saturday’s honour. “Today blew me away. I just didn’t have any grasp of the magnitude of today, but it was awesome. The Blue Jays did a hell of a job. The best part of today was having my wife (Arlene) with me. Having (my son) Casey and my granddaughters with me. I didn’t realize that everyone (on the Wall of Excellence) was going to come back. Everybody that was able to.”
Buck’s memories of the past and advice for the future
The younger generation of Blue Jays fans simply know Buck as a TV personality. He began that important part of his career immediately after retirement in the post-season of 1986, sitting in the radio booth as a rookie with Tom Cheek for parts of the post-season. Tom’s wife Shirley was on hand for the ceremony. Since then, Buck has witnessed 40 years of MLB highlights. The one that stands out as a broadcaster, that did not involve the Jays, was as analyst in the ESPN booth for the Cal Ripken game in Baltimore in which he broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played and dragged MLB back from the brink as it emerged from the devastating strike of 1994. Fans were disillusioned and many had sworn off MLB, with a pox on both houses.
“Chris (Berman) and I did Wednesday Night baseball for ESPN for several years,” Buck explained. “That game happened to come up on Wednesday night because they had a rainout. When it got time to decide who was going to broadcast the game, ESPN wanted Joe Morgan. But Boomer wouldn’t allow that. He said ‘This is our game.’ Uncle Bucky, as he always called me, ‘Uncle Bucky and I are doing the game.’
“People remember me for two things, that sort of sums up my whole career. Breaking my leg in Seattle (while making both outs of a double play) and not talking for 22 minutes in the Cal Ripken game. There was nothing to say. He had just broken a record that was unbreakable.
“Brooks Robinson was sitting between Chris and me and we all had tears in our eyes because we just saw something we thought would never happen. Boomer looked at me. I looked at him and we didn’t say anything for 22 minutes. Now that’s impossible for Chris Berman not to talk.”
That broadcast was awarded a sports Emmy. Of course also in Buck’s top three broadcast memories is the 2025 post season, capped by the Jays/Dodgers World Series, considered by many as one of the most exciting Fall Classics in history.
“We got the chance to do post-seasons before, but never Game 7 of the World Series,” he explained. “And Sportsnet allowed us to do the game as if it was a very special regular season game. We had all the bells and whistles. We had all the support. They flew us back and forth on charters. It was phenomenal. To do that game, not knowing it was the last game in my broadcasting career, was very, very special.”
Above all else, as a thread throughout his three-pronged career as player, manager and broadcaster, is the fact that Buck Martinez is a fan of the sport and wants to see what is best for the loyal fans that support it. As such, Buck was asked what advice he might have for owners and for players, with another work stoppage looming on Dec. 1.
“Look around and see how popular the game is,” the 77-year-old Sacramento native said, simply. “This has been the history of the (players) association. I was one of those that signed the (Collective Bargaining Agreement) in 1985. I went to New York, to the players association that had Don Fehr, Marvin Miller, (Dick Moss), all those great players. We had a cadre of wonderful lawyers that knew the business. Unfortunately, the Players’ Association (recently) had too many ballplayers involved and not enough lawyers.
“This (salary cap issue) has always been the case. Marvin Miller told us early in the ‘70s, owners want (players) to control owners (and their spending). You’ve got the Dodgers and the Yankees and the Mets and they can spend whatever they want. But then you have the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers and those teams, surviving and winning championships.
“There’s nothing wrong with the game. Step away and leave the game alone. I mean, look at the crowds (at Rogers Centre). People love baseball. Don’t take that away from them and I think that’s probably going to happen, because (owners) have already admitted it.
“But that’s what I would do. Recognize how popular the game is and in so many different places. Bud Selig did a great job in expanding the playoffs. It has kept so many teams involved in the playoffs for so long in all these cities, as we get close to September. I think you have to recognize there’s nothing wrong with the game. It’s not broke. Don’t try to fix it.”
Hopefully, both sides pay attention to a message of compromise from a man who has been involved since the early days of the players’ union. In the meantime, after that emotional weekend in the city that he admits long ago became his second home, Martinez, who was recently declared cancer-free by his doctors, will head back to Florida to plan a quiet life of fishing, golf, world travel with wife Arlene and enjoying quality time with his three grandchildren.
Congratulation Buck and all of this well deserved.
Now, how about the Blue Jays honouring Jerry Howarth for 35 years of radio broadcasting the Blue Jay games? It baffles me why they don't even talk about, or invite him to these events. Is he on their blacklist for some reason? In poor health again? Can you explain, Richard? Thank you.
That was a fantastic ceremony for a true icon of the team. I've seen some narrative (mostly by commenters on the Athletic) from those who didn't think Buck warranted the attention and accolades. Ridiculous. They completely missed the point. I was teary during most of the ceremony. Seeing Pat Gillick in a wheelchair hit me hard as well. It did bother me that the Mariners came out and started warming up while Buck was talking. I think karma came back to bite them for that!