Blue Jays: How the television broadcasts may sound in 2023

The Blue Jays television broadcast team may have to adjust if Buck Martinez decides he is done.

I’m going to be honest with you about something: If Buck Martinez leaves the Blue Jays broadcast booth as a fan that will really suck. Buck has been broadcasting full-time since the 1987 season with the exception of the years where he was the Blue Jays Manager.

Martinez is highly regarded and respected throughout baseball. The former Emmy Award winner was the Colour Commentator for Major League Baseball’s International World Series Broadcasts until the 2020 season. He will go down for sure as one of the premier and most respected voices in Blue Jays Baseball.

I bring this up because there was a Globe and Mail article that circulated this weekend where Martinez dropped a hint that he may be done at the end of this season. This is a tad surprising considering he returned this past July after missing time battling a cancer diagnosis. It’s surprising because Buck has been involved with Major League Baseball for 55 seasons. It is no surprise however that he is kicking cancer’s ass.

Buck may have definitely had time to reflect on what his future should look like. I’m 100 % certain that he and his wife Arlene know what the next steps are. Buck is 73 and may come back on a part-time basis, or he may just golf and fish as he pleases. That being said, if he decides to depart the Blue Jays broadcast booth let’s take a look at how things could sound in 2023.

Dan Shulman is very well loved and respected on both sides of the border. Shulman announced today that he will be fulfilling his ESPN postseason duties, which he has done for almost 20 years now. Shulman did a ton of games for Sportsnet this season to assist in covering Buck’s absence. His average seemed to be the 80-100 mark and in 2022 he has most certainly surpassed that number. I anticipate Shulman has told the network that if Buck is leaving, they may want to find a play by play fill in for him so he can resume his part-time regular season ESPN duties. I fully expect Shulman to do 80-100 games of Blue Jays baseball in 2023, and I’d be happy, like all of you, if it were more.

Pat Tabler and Joe Siddall would split the Colour Commentary duties. A lot like the schedule was currently, I’d expect Joe to do the bulk of the home games and Tabler to work on the road. Siddall has become highly regarded and respected for his work on Blue Jays Central and the booth. Tabler has been doing colour for the team ever since Buck jumped into the Manager’s seat in 2000.

This would explain why we have seen Caleb Joseph spend a lot more time in Toronto. Joseph a former catcher, like Joe and Buck, has become popular through his enthusiasm for explaining the game, and he seems very humble and down to earth. He is also a fan of Rush and that is awesome in my book. I would expect Joseph to cover Siddall on Blue Jays Central. I think Siddall will work a bit on Blue Jays Central when the team is on the road as the viewers love his work on the program.

The leaves a void for a part-time Play by Play voice. Matt Devlin did fill in for Shulman for a little better than a week this season. Toronto fans love Matty D’s voice and should expect to see him call a little more baseball in 2023. The one name I expect to see in the Sportsnet booth next year after a hiatus, former TSN and CTV Sportsnet Baseball voice Rod Black. Rod was the original voice for Blue Jays Baseball on Sportsnet. He then took over for Shulman after he departed for ESPN. I’m sure Black would love the part-time schedule to ensure he can watch his son Tyler play on off days. Tyler is a member of the Milwaukee Brewers system. Black and Tabler of course worked together for many years doing TSN broadcasts.

This of course is pending on whether Buck comes back for 2023 or not, which I still hope he does. Until then, let’s enjoy the playoffs.