Toronto Blue Jays Add 5-Time All-Star To Organization

After a sensational 16-year career that featured five All-Star appearances, a .295 lifetime average and 246 home runs, former catcher and designated hitter Victor Martinez has joined the Toronto Blue Jays as a special assistant to his old pals Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins.

News: Victor Martínez has joined the #BlueJays front office as a special assistant. He has a strong relationship with Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins from their time together in Cleveland. @MLBNetwork @MLB @Sportsnet

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 16, 2023

Martinez played in 1,973 games in the majors for Cleveland, the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers. But it was in his 8-year run in Cleveland to begin his career that he built a strong relationship with Shapiro and Atkins. He was one of the top catchers in the game throughout that run.

Now 44, Martinez finished his career with an .815 OPS and an OPS+ of 118, 18% better than the average hitter. 

He'll be a "special assistant" to the organization, though the specifics of Martinez’s role have yet to be defined.

Shapiro was the general manager when Martinez began his career in Cleveland in 2001, while Atkins held various positions in player development for Cleveland while Martinez was with the then-Indians. 

Martinez retired in 2018.