Picture Credit: Twitter
Four years after pitching his final major league game, long time MLB player and 2004 Al Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon will be officially retiring from professional baseball on September 17, the New York Mets announced. Colon has made an appearance at the Citi Field this season, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to commemorate the seventh anniversary of his only homerun, which is as unforgettable as it is infamous. He will retire after a fruitful 21 year-long career.
Most recently pitching in the Mexican League, Colon last pitched in the big league with the Texas Rangers in 2018. The 50-year-old pitched for the Mets from 2014 to 2016 and maintained an ERA of 3.90. The Mets took to Twitter to announce his retirement from professional baseball and the giveaway of limited edition “Big Sexy” Bartolo Colon long sleeve shirts during his farewell game on the 17 September.
The tweet read, “Bartolo Colón will officially retire as a member of the #Mets on Sunday, Sept. 17. The first 15,000 fans attending the Sept. 17 game will receive a Bartolo Colón “Big Sexy” long sleeve shirt.”
Colon unlikely to be inducted into Hall of Fam e
The veteran will join the Hall of Fame ballot in 2024 but is unlikely to be inducted due to a PED suspension. He retires from the game with a record of 247 wins and 188 losses, the most wins ever for a Dominican-born pitcher and 50th all time. He is 76th all time for most innings pitched.
Starting his career with Cleveland, he quickly established himself as the team’s ace before being traded to the Montreal Expos and subsequently to the White Sox. After a spell of injuries, it seemed like Colon was out of baseball for good, but he was signed by the New York Yankees in 2011 and he was able to revive his career. He spent three good years with Oakland before moving to the Mets.
