Not many MLB players are as lovable as Bartolo Colon. This, among other reasons, is why the New York Mets should attempt to bring Big Sexy back later this season.
Is there room for Bartolo Colon on the 2018 New York Mets?
Perhaps not. And no, that’s not a reference to his weight.
The Mets can try their best to find a role for Colon later this year. Judging by the way their starting pitching has performed, we may even see him start for the Mets.
The ageless Colon is pitching for the Texas Rangers this season. Amazingly, he’s doing quite well too. Colon already nearly tossed a no-hitter against the Houston Astros on their home turf.
Through half a dozen starts and a pair of relief appearances, Big Sexy is 1-1 with a 3.32 ERA. He’s averaging only 0.8 walks per nine, showing how fearless he is. I suppose a lot of that may come with experience. This is something the Mets rotation seems to lack at times.
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When Colon left the Mets for free agency after the 2016 season, he left a big hole in many hearts. And again, that wasn’t a reference to his weight.
Colon was an All-Star for the Mets in 2016. He finished the year 15-8 with a 3.43 ERA. It was his best season with the Mets. With any luck, it’s not the last we’ve seen of him in Queens.
It looked like Colon’s time in MLB could come to an end last year when he went 2-8 with an 8.14 ERA with the Atlanta Braves. Big Bart was released on July 4 but signed with the Minnesota Twins three days later. He finished up the year a little better, going 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA for the playoff-bound Twins.
Colon isn’t a long-term solution for anyone. I’m not even so sure he can keep up with the solid start to 2018 either. What he’s doing, though, is historic.
Men at his age shouldn’t be capable of doing the things he does. They should be sitting at home complaining about pitchers half their age.
The Rangers don’t look like contenders this year, which could mean Colon becomes available.
A more realistic reunion I envision with Colon is grimmer. Colon’s ERA suffers in the Texas heat and the Rangers decide to release him. Out of the playoff race, the Mets sign Colon to give him a chance to finish his career surrounded by love. Colon starts on the final day of the season with Tim Tebow in left field in the Mets’ last act at selling tickets.
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Sadly, I think the only way to see Colon pitch in a Mets uniform again is if everything else goes poorly.