Fifty-year-old Bartolo Colon is officially retiring.
The New York Mets announced Friday that the veteran right-hander is officially calling it a career and will retire as a Met on Sept. 17. Colon has not pitched for the Mets since 2016 and last appeared in a big league game in 2018.
Bartolo Colón will officially retire as a member of the #Mets on Sunday, Sept. 17.
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 29, 2023
The first 15,000 fans attending the Sept. 17 game will receive a Bartolo Colón “Big Sexy” long sleeve shirt. 🎟️👉 https://t.co/nJL1R9sKf7 pic.twitter.com/gqYrPfGaMd
The Mets also said the first 15,000 fans in attendance that day will receive a Colon 'Big Sexy' t-shirt.
One of the most popular players of the modern era, Colon pitched in MLB well into his 40s and pitched in the Mexican League as recently as 2021.
He began his career with Cleveland all the way back in 1997 and became an All-Star in his second year. Colon finished fourth in Cy Young voting the year after and won the award in 2004 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
Colon missed the entire 2010 season because of a shoulder injury but revitalized his career as a member of the Oakland Athletics, making the All-Star Team in 2013. Colon then joined the Mets in 2014 and pitched three seasons in Flushing, appearing in 98 games (95 starts) with the team. He made the All-Star Team for the fourth time in 2016 and turned in a 3.43 ERA in 191.2 innings over 34 outings as a 43-year-old.
Colon split the 2017 season with the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins before finishing his MLB career with the Texas Rangers the year after.
In 21 big league seasons, Colon went 247-188 with a 4.12 ERA.