Bartolo Colon wants to recapture the magic on the mound one more time, but that’s not all. He wants to do it with the New York Mets.
At 46-years-old, starting pitcher Bartolo Colon hinted at a return to the majors for one final season on Monday. The former Cy Young winner with the Angels prefers to join the New York Mets in 2020 if presented the opportunity to embark on what would be his 22nd MLB season.
“If it was up to me, I would retire with the Mets. I would like my career to end in New York,” Colon said to Marly Rivera of ESPN.
Colon played three seasons in Queens during his early-40s from 2014-2016, in which he eclipsed 190 innings pitched and at least 14 wins in all three seasons. His tenure with the Mets culminated in an All-Star selection in his age-43 season.
His lone All-Star season in New York also brought a defining moment in the veteran’s career. On May 7, Colon blasted his first career home run into left field against the San Diego Padres.
At that time, the legend of Bartolo Colon continued to grow.
Noah Syndergaard gave Colon the iconic nickname “Big Sexy,” which brought Colon closer to the club than any other he had been a part of before.
“I’ve played with 10 teams, but with the Mets, the way all those players treated me, how that entire franchise treated me, from the front office to the kitchen staff, it was amazing,” Colon said.
Although Colon is in the twilight of his career, “Big Sexy” brings an undeniable burst of energy to any team looking to add a veteran presence to its rotation and locker room.
