Buck Martinez ready to return to Sportsnet booth for Blue Jays' playoff push
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But a big impending move off the field will be well-received by the fan base that has been driving huge TV ratings on Sportsnet this season.
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A source told the Toronto Sun on Friday that popular colour commentator Buck Martinez is scheduled to make his return to the airwaves when the Jays travel to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in a weekend series that begins next Friday.
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It will be a welcome return for the long-time voice of the team, who has been sidelined with medical concerns since late May.
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But Martinez has been getting stronger by the day and is excited for his return working alongside his play-by-play partner, Dan Shulman.
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Through Martinez's absence, Shulman has worked with a variety of partners, primarily regular studio host Joe Siddall, who is with him again for this weekend's three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.
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During his absence, Martinez has remained engaged with the team's progress and surge up the standings as well as the activities around the trade deadline.
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On June 30, Sportsnet announced that Martinez's absence would be elongated as he recovered from a medical 'setback.'
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'Hey Blue Jays fans, I was planning to be back in the booth tonight after some scheduled time off, but I recently had a little health setback,' Martinez's statement on the broadcast said. 'While I'm feeling pretty good, I'm going to take some extra time off out of an abundance of caution.
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