The New York Mets pitching depth has already taken a major hit this year. Co-aces Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer are on the Injured List. Tylor Megill is also on the shelf as he is battling biceps tendonitis. The Mets need to find arms quickly.
Fortunately, there is one arm available who is looking for an opportunity. Bartolo Colon is still working out, hoping to get that call from the Mets before calling it a career.
Bartolo Colon still waiting for the New York Mets to pick up the phone
It is easy to imagine that Colon had retired years ago. He has not appeared in the majors since 2018 and will turn 49 years old in just a few days. However, he had a deal to pitch in the Mexican League in 2020 before the pandemic canceled that season. Colon did end up pitching for Monclova last year, posting a respectable 4.55 ERA and a 1.304 WHiP in his 61.1 innings.
There is no reason to expect that he would be anything more than a back of the rotation arm. In fact, it would be likely that Colon would not last throughout the season if the Mets’ other arms return. He would be the ultimate stopgap option.
But there are some advantages to giving Colon that call. He may not need much time to ramp back up and be ready. He is still a strike throwing machine, walking just ten batters in Mexico last season. He could also eat some innings, taking some of the burden off of the Mets’ bullpen until their rotation gets healthy.
Chances are, Colon has thrown his last pitch in the majors. His 2018 season was mediocre at best and teams are not in the habit of signing soon-to-be 49 year old arms, no matter how beloved they may be. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. And Colon is just waiting for the call to come in.
The New York Mets’ pitching depth is getting hammered. They may as well pick up the phone and find out if Bartolo Colon has anything left.