Blue Jays are Planning to Honour Russell Martin on Canada Day
Canada Day is shaping up to be very special for baseball fans.
Prior to Friday’s contest between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays, former player Russell Martin is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Rogers Centre. It’s sure to be an emotional moment for everyone involved.
Of course, Martin spent four seasons in Toronto from 2015-18, appearing in 447 games. The East York, Ontario native, who later grew up in Montreal, signed the largest free-agent contract – a five-year, $82-million deal – in franchise history in 2014.
It now ranks third on that list behind George Springer’s six-year, $125-million contract and Kevin Gausman’s five-year, $110-million deal.
Martin, 39, announced his retirement from professional baseball in May after 14 seasons in MLB. He last played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who originally drafted him in 2002, during the 2019 season.
At the time, the four-time All-Star took to Instagram to reveal his decision, displaying a brief montage of the four franchises he played with – including the Dodgers, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and Blue Jays.
Martin also released a statement via social media, thanking those who helped him throughout his journey – both on and off the field.
“After 14 years in the MLB, I am officially retiring from professional baseball,” Martin said. “Timeless memories that I will cherish forever. I had the chance to play for great organizations such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays.
“I want to thank everyone that has played a part in my baseball journey,” Martin continued. “My parents, friend/agent Matt Colleran, business manager Stanley, my right-hand man Ivan Naccarata, all the coaches throughout my amateur and professional career, the training staffs of every team, front office staffs, my teammates, clubhouse staffs, the fans that cheered me on and the ones that booed me, everyone who works hard to ensure fans have a great experience in and out of the stadiums, journalists, the list goes on.”
Over 1,693 career games, Martin finished with 1,416 hits, 191 home runs, 771 RBIs and a .248/.349/.397 slash line. He won Silver Slugger and Gold Glove honours at his position in 2007 – his second big-league season.
Martin represented Team Canada at the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the opening round. In 2013, he had hoped to play shortstop for his home country but ultimately pulled out due to shoulder soreness.
The Canadian received another opportunity to do so in 2017, however, insurance complications prevented him from appearing in any games during the event.
With his playing days in the rear-view mirror, Martin is focusing his efforts elsewhere, which includes spending more time on the golf course. He and his wife, Elisa, are also set to welcome their third daughter very shortly.
Even in retirement, Martin appears to be staying extremely busy as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85
Photo: Jeffrey Hyde. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.