John Gibbons to Let Catcher Russell Martin Manage Blue Jays' Season Finale

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Friday that he will allow catcher Russell Martin to manage the team in their season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

According to John Lott of The Athletic, Gibbons said he wants to, "Let [Martin] have fun with it."

The Jays officially announced this week that Gibbons will be out as manager at the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Toronto enters play Saturday with a disappointing 73-87 record, placing it fourth in the highly competitive AL East.

The Blue Jays will miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season after reaching the American League Championship Series in both 2015 and 2016.

Martin is set to close the worst statistical season of his career, as he is hitting just .194 with 10 home runs and 25 RBI.

The 35-year-old veteran is a four-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove award winner and one-time Silver Slugger award winner, but he is seemingly reaching the end of his career.

Although the East York, Ontario, Canada, native has one year remaining on his contract with the Jays, he is nowhere close to living up to his $20 million salary.

Over the past few years, several former players with little or no managerial experience have been hired as MLB managers, including Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Craig Counsell of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sunday will mark Martin's first taste of managing, and if things go well, it isn't a stretch to think he could be managing on a full-time basis at the big-league level in the near future.

If Martin retires at the end of the 2018 season, he may even establish himself as a candidate to take over for Gibbons in Toronto.