Coach Buck Martinez Net Worth 2022 and Salary Breakdown

Martinez’s net worth in 2022 is $1 Million, mostly from his $700,000 salary as a sportscaster.

Buck stepped into various occupations after starting his sports journey in 1969. During his 17 years in MLB, he played for the Kansas City Royals, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Toronto Blue Jays. These activities have earned him much fame and wealth.

Toronto holds a special place in his heart as the former MLB player has managed only one team in his career, that too just for one season, and it is Toronto Blue Jays. Despite being a short-term MLB manager who stepped onto the field for just one season, he is remembered as one of the most loved managers of the team. He was head coach of the team in 2001 and served until 2002. He is currently working as a play-by-play announcer for the same team in MLB.

However, his stint as the sportscaster for Jays might come to an end after this season. After receiving a cancer diagnosis, he left the broadcast booth in the middle of April, and it’s uncertain whether he’ll return for the 2023 Toronto Blue Jays season. His contract will be up when the season is over, and the team hasn’t negotiated new terms to extend his contract for upcoming years.

Since 2010, the 73-year-old has participated in Blue Jays telecasts after working as a broadcaster intermittently since 1987. From 1969 through 1986, Martinez played as a catcher for 17 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Toronto Blue Jays. He also managed Toronto’s major league team in 2001 and 2002.

At his peak, he was one of the well-payed baseball players in MLB. The total compensation Martinez got while playing Major League Baseball was US$770,096. Buck received $4,200 from the Kansas City Royals in his debut season. He collected roughly $12,500 in the next year. In 1977, Martinez was paid a salary of $50,000 per year. Buck received wages from the Toronto Blue Jays of US$356,300 in 1985 and US$347,096 in 1986.

Buck is a married man. He and his wife, Arlene Martinez, have been together as a married couple since 1975 and they reside with their family in New Port Richey, Florida.

The couple crossed their paths first in 1971, while Arlene was on vacation with her friend Debbie in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Following their initial meeting, they did not speak for three years. The second date was a road trip and became one of their life’s most memorable moments.

Buck proposed to his then-girlfriend during that road trip, and the beautiful journey of the Martinez couple as husband and wife started. They eventually got married in 1975 in the presence of their family and friends fulfilling all the marital rituals.

They exchanged vows in a Catholic ceremony in Blue Springs, Missouri, then had a reception at the Adams Mark Hotel, next to Kauffman Stadium, where his then MBL team, Kansas City Royals, played. Very little is known about Buck’s spouse because the couple is not active on social media and is seen as very minimal in public.

Martinez couple has one son Casey who came into this world On August 31, 1977. Toronto selected him in the 47th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft. After three seasons in their organization, during which he briefly played at the AAA level, he spent the final year of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies. During his first professional summer, Marinez played with the Medicine Hat Blue Jays and the Queens Kings.

Casey retired from playing professional baseball, and his current whereabouts are unknown. He split his time between the Charleston AlleyCats, the Syracuse Chiefs, and the Dunedin Blue Jays in 2001. He participated in games for Dunedin, Charleston, and the Tennessee Smokies in 2002. In 2003, he played for the Clearwater Phillies and the Lakewood Blue Claws.

Buck was born on November 7, 1948, as a child of John and Shirley Martinez in Redding, California. Both of his parents were army professionals in the past. His father witnessed the Pearl Harbor attack, and his mother, a Women’s Army Core member, was featured on the Stars and Stripes cover. Because both of his parents served in the army as professionals during World War II, he had a disciplined upbringing.

Playing Career

Martinez studied at Elk Grove High School, Southwest Missouri State University, Sacramento State University, and Sacramento City College. He had been interested in competitive sports since the early days. As a reason, he crafted himself as one of the best baseball players in his school and eventually continued his passion for becoming a recognized face in MLB.

Before being selected by the Houston Astros in the 1968 rule 5 draft, he was initially signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent. Subsequently, the Astros dealt him to the Kansas City Royals. In 1969, Martinez made his major league debut with the Royals, appearing in 72 games.

Though, Martinez gained a reputation for being an offensive liability in the following few years. Through 1977, he never played in more than 95 games while with Kansas City. On December 8, 1977, during the Winter Meetings, he was traded twice. He was first sold to the St. Louis Cardinals for Al Hrabosky, then to the Milwaukee Brewers for George Frazier and Mark Littell.

On May 10, 1981, Martinez was sold to the Toronto Blue Jays after being designated for departure. His stint in Toronto, where he twice hit ten home runs, is what people most often recall about him. He was also a respected defensive catcher during that period. He was paying brilliantly and was one of the must-have members of his team, but his career was adversely affected by an injury in 1985.

On July 9, 1985, Martinez collided with Phil Bradley of the Seattle Mariners at home plate at the Kingdome, badly dislocating his ankle and breaking his leg.

He struggled with his fitness as he couldn’t recover to 100% health to showcase his magic in the field again. However, In 1986, Martinez tried to make a return with Toronto but gave up after only batting.181 in 81 games. This was the end of his baseball career; after this, he moved on to try other ventures in his career to keep himself around baseball despite not being able to compete on the field.

Broadcasting Career 

After ending his playing career after the 1986 campaign, Martinez started his broadcasting career in 1987 as an analyst for Toronto Blue Jays games. He has been a team member ever since and even got the opportunity to lead them for a season. Martinez announced that he would take a leave of absence to receive cancer treatment on April 17, 2022. After finishing his therapy, Martinez came back to Sportsnet on July 26.

Buck Martinez As Coach

Martinez was appointed as Toronto’s manager because a contract issue arose between the team and their then head coach. As always, he was energetic and full of positive energy, so the young Jays roster was thought to benefit from Martinez’s upbeat attitude. Through the first two months of the season, Toronto surpassed predictions. The triumph, however, was fleeting because the squad battled the rest of the way and finished with a poor 80-82 record.

Fifty-three games into the 2002 season, he was sacked with a 20-33 record. When he was dismissed, the Blue Jays had recently swept the Detroit Tigers, and they were on a three-game winning streak. Martinez was chosen as the American team’s field manager at the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He guided the star-studded American team into the next round.