Bartolo Colon will turn 46 next May, but the veteran right-hander told reporters this week that he’s nonetheless hoping for a return to the Majors next season (link via Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News). Specifically, Colon said he’d love to return to the Rangers, though Fraley suggests that could be a long shot.
Given Colon’s recent results, it’s difficult to imagine anything other than minor league offers materializing for him in free agency this winter. While he came out of the gates with a strong 3.55 ERA and 40-to-7 K/BB ratio through his first 63 1/3 innings with the Rangers in 2018, his season has spiraled out of control. The righty has turned in a woeful 7.11 ERA over his past 15 starts with 41 strikeouts against 18 walks in 81 innings of work.
Though this is more a statement about the Rangers and their rotation woes than it is about Colon, the veteran right-hander does lead Texas with 144 1/3 innings pitched in 2018. He’s remained a fairly durable rotation piece even at 45 years of age, though his fastball is averaging a career-low 87.4 mph. Meanwhile, his 1.87 HR/9 mark is the highest he’s posted since a brief, ill-fated run with the 2009 White Sox, though surely playing at Globe Life Park in Arlington doesn’t help him in that regard. Colon’s walk rate remains pristine (1.56 BB/9), and it’s also worth noting that fielding-independent pitching metrics feel he’s performed similarly, if not better than he did in 2017 when he managed to secure a minor league pact with Texas (4.64 xFIP).
Colon already broke Juan Marichal’s record for wins by a Dominican-born pitcher earlier this season — he’s now at 247 in his career — and he’s spoken recently about wanting to top Marichal’s career innings mark as well. Colon is currently 47 1/3 frames shy of that distinction, so he won’t get there before the end of the current campaign.
It’s certainly plausible that another club would put forth a minor league offer this winter — more anecdotally, Colon has pitched for 11 different teams, placing him two teams behind Edwin Jackson’s record of 13 — but “Big Sexy” would almost certainly have to earn his way onto a 2019 roster with a more encouraging Spring Training effort.
Disco Dave
I hope he does well. great to see!
mooshimanx
Exempt him from the steroid policy and let’s see what he can do.
jschnitzler23
Best comment I’ve read in a while, lol
yoyobumchuk
Relief
Kayrall
Is a league without colon pitching even a league worth watching?
lowtalker1
Much more entertaining without. Not a fan of cookie dough pitching
BravesCanada
Worst comment I’ve read in a while, lol
lowtalker1
If you’re into fat tubs of lard pitching then your team should resign him
tharrie0820
Funny, cause he’s still probably a better athlete than you
waldfee
“Re-sign”, please. Otherwise your assertion constitutes a contradictio in adjecto.
amjr
Lmao.
MetsYankeesRedSox
Prob thinner too
Knowthemarket
Ya but then lowtalker isn’t paid thousands of dollars to he an athlete. Wait, what? Neither is Colon? He’s paid MILLIONS? Ooooooooooooh!
Polish Hammer
He needs that money, not only is his grocery bill is humongous but. it gets costly paying for kids and families on the side…
jleve618
I agree with lowtalker. The big deal everyone made when he hit that homerun will forever be a blight on the sport.
yoyobumchuk
No
benintendiimpersonator
I’d make a “and I’d like to win the lottery” joke but I’m pretty sure that this living legend will find his way into the majors next year…
jd396
If you made the “I’d like to win the lottery” joke over and over again and then kept actually winning, it would be a lot like Bartolo Colon’s career path the last several years.
Ray lopez
Good luck with that colon you have been terrible the past few years..
rycm131
The A’s would sign him
astros_fan_84
With so many rebuilding clubs, it’s very conceivable that Bartolo will find a Big League job. He’s likely to be cheap, and he can eat innings.
As long as he’s a draw, it makes sense.
waldfee
Innings don’t seem to be the only things Colon can eat in abundance.
Polish Hammer
“Innings eater”, AKA veteran that will be relied upon to go innings, with poor performance and high numbers. Is it really worth it to “eat innings” if 5heyre bad innings?
jbigz12
Royals, orioles, marlins, or the tigers might be able to find a a slot in their rotations.
waldfee
Colon must have a terrible wife. Obviously, the man just wants to spend as much time away from home as possible.
acarneglia
He also has a side family
Polish Hammer
A lot of athletes miss the locker room camaraderie…and then there’s the rare one that just misses the locker room spread.
TrueOutcomeFan
Blessed
Gwynning's Anal Lover
Colon blow.
Michael Chaney
He’ll be pitching for the Orioles next year
sportsjunkie24
Not in camden yards he will get scorched he needs marlins park to be effective
yamsi1912
Go Big Sexy!
mlb1225
Some team will take a league minimum flyer on Colon.
Breezy
He’s low- cost, eats innings, and fans everywhere like the guy. Perfect candidate for a rebuilding team. Bring him back.
darkstar61
Now there’s an arm the Angels might not even be able to break. They should be all over him to ensure they have at least 1 guy to count on in 2019
Chrismess13
The Angels already broke his arm. Took 5 years and steroids for him to recover.
darkstar61
You are correct, I should have included *again*
This new version seems like it may be Angel-proof
Yeti
I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him get a modest major league offer, given the amount of teams that are actually trying (putting in effort) to lose.
bravesfan
He’ll be 80 and still pitching
DTI812
I would sign the big guy every year he wanted to pitch.
He is a breath of fresh air. A real professional who plays the game with child line enthusiasm.
jimmyz
Whenever Bartolo does eventually retire he should sign a lifetime contract with MLB to pitch and participate in the home run derby every year.
madmanTX
I hope the Rangers keep him.
Modified_6
Really? Other than Martin Perez he’s the guy I’m most looking forward to not seeing in a Rangers uniform next year.
hurricanewar23
Your a mad man!
dm038
Big Sexy. I sure hope he comes back in 2019
julyn82001
Big sexy should come to the Bay Area next season so that he plays next to the Panda! What a combination that would be lol…
gomerhodge71
You hankering for another earthquake?
Tom84
Y’all be dissing one of the greatest pitchers ever, and anyone who can physically pitch in the majors at his age is a damn legend. Bring big sexy back!
Polish Hammer
Steroids, PEDs, experimental surgeries and lying about your age will do that…
camdenyards46
Yes
j_johnson42
Marlins? They could use a veteran pitcher to mentor the young guys. Plus it’s a pitchers park
jd396
Bartolo Colon is hands-down the best bad pitcher in the majors. He burns innings, and that’s about it, but so long as a team has rotation that’s a rolling disaster and their upper minors are as barren as the surface of the moon…. he’ll have a job.