Bartolo Colon's MLB Journey: Every Team the Pitching Legend Played For
Bartolo Colon's MLB Journey: Every Team the Pitching ...
By Edcel Panganiban August 24, 2024 06:35
Dubbed "Big Sexy," Bartolo Colon pitched his way through 21 magnificent Major League seasons. His 11-team career is testimony to his perseverance, versatility, and ongoing gift for netting goals simply by being himself. How exactly did Colon make his way through Major League Baseball, and what was he able to do with each team where he signed?
Cleveland Indians (1997-2002)
Colon made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians, who signed him as an amateur free agent in 1993. Colon shined in the minor leagues, even twirling a no-hitter for TRIPLE-A Buffalo. He made his ML debut on April 4, 1997, against all teams from Little Fishland.
Colon established himself as one of the premier pitchers in baseball shortly after joining Cleveland. He emerged in 1999 with a few memorable games mixed into that season, finishing 18-5 and bolstering what was essentially the best top-to-bottom pitching staff in baseball history. In the next two seasons (2000 and 2001), Colon reached over 200 strikeouts back to back, becoming the first pitcher for Cleveland to do so since Gaylord Perry.
Montreal Expos (2002)
The small part of Colon's career in Montreal was still significant. He came aboard in mid-2002, and the staff took off. Colon picked up right where he left off with the Expos from his time in Cleveland.
In his 2002 season again, factoring in totals from the Indians and Expos, Colon achieved a superb win-loss record of 20-8 with an era of 2.93). He also demonstrated his arm resilience by tossing 233.1 innings, including a trio of shutouts and eight complete games.
Curiously, Colon would last play for the Montreal Expos that season, making him the final active MLB player to have played in a game with them and lasting evidence of his longevity.
Chicago White Sox (2003)
Colon was traded to the Chicago White Sox prior to 2003 following a strong 2002 season. His tenure with the White Sox was brief but successful. Colon was a workhorse throughout the entire 2003 season, giving the Sox an anchor in their rotation.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2004-07)
Colon became a free agent following the 2003 season and signed with the Anaheim Angels, later renamed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2004. That season would be the height of Colon's career.
Colon won 18 games in his first season with the Angels, proving he was still among the elite pitchers. But it was 2005 that really would go down in baseball history for Colon. Lee went 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA, second in the AL, though he won more games than anyone else and started his Mariners tenure by going up against some tough lineups early on Texas twice and Chicago White Sox three times. Colon was rewarded with the American League Cy Young Award, which made him only the second Angels pitcher ever to win it. Dean Chance won in 1964.
Colon's success was short-lived, however, as a tremendous rash of injuries ensued in the years to follow. A playoff game against the Yankees in 2005 led to him suffering a partially torn rotator cuff that sidelined him for most of both seasons in 2006 and mostly all of it in 2007.
Boston Red Sox (2008)
Colon signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox in February 2008 following his injury-riddled final seasons with the Angels. He began the season in Triple-A, throwing a one-hitter for Pawtucket on May 15.
Colon was promoted to the major league team later that month. It was one of his signature games and the 150th win in his career when the Red Sox beat the Orioles. However, his time with the Red Sox was cut short as he left to tend to personal matters in his native Dominican Republic and wound up on the suspended list.
Chicago White Sox (2009)
He eventually rejoined the White Sox in 2009 for his second stint with the team. That said, this season was one to forget for him as he battled injuries and poor performance.
New York Yankees (2011)
Colon would return to the Majors in 2011 with the New York Yankees, having sat out all of 2010. He also gave the Yankees some innings that provided stability to their rotation despite his advanced age of 38.
Oakland Athletics (2012-2013)
Big Sexy revitalized his career with the Oakland Athletics. In his third season as a 40-year-old (2013), he made the All-Star team. That selection came 15 years after he made his first All-Star team and highlighted how brilliantly Johnson could age as a pitcher by changing how he pitched.
New York Mets (2014-2016)
Colon's stint with the New York Mets was highlighted by more of the same and some cool moments. Harvey was an integral part of the rotation for the Mets team that made it to the World Series in 2015.
The biggest highlight of Colon's career came on May 7, 2016, when he hit his first and only major league home run off San Diego Padres pitcher James Shields. He's also the oldest position player to hit his first major league home run, at 42 years and 349 days.
Atlanta Braves (2017)
He signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2017 but was only average, so the team waived him during the season.
Minnesota Twins (2017)
The Minnesota Twins later signed Colon to close out 2017 after the Braves released him. The Twins leaned on him in important innings as they fought to make the playoffs.
Texas Rangers (2018)
Colon spent his final MLB season with the Texas Rangers in 2018. At 45, he still was making history. Colon won in a victory over Seattle on Aug. 7, 2018, for his record-setting career victory No. 246.
Legacy and Impact
What Bartolo Colon did over his 21-year MLB career is pretty remarkable, and it speaks to his ability, versatility, and love for the game. He made four All-Star teams, claimed a Cy Young Award, and became the all-time wins leader among Latin American-born pitchers.
Colon was long and durable, making his longevity an impressive achievement. In his final season, at age 45, he was the oldest player in MLB and also the only former Montreal Expos actively playing. That capacity to evolve made him a control specialist with an emphasis on movement, and it allowed him to remain effective well into his 40s.
Then, the statistics aside, Colon metamorphosed into somewhat of a cult hero later in his career because he was as jovial and surprisingly athletic even with that girth figure on the mound.
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