New York Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon is headed to his fourth All-Star Game after Terry Collins, his manager in New York and of the National League All-Star team, selected him Friday to replace San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner for Tuesday's Midsummer Classic, per James Wagner of the New York Times.
Bumgarner is scheduled to start the Giants' game Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will not be able to pitch in San Diego on short rest.
He will be the fourth Mets player and third pitcher to represent the organization on July 12, joining starter Noah Syndergaard, closer Jeurys Familia and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who was voted in as a starter.
The 43-year-old Colon is in his 19th MLB season and will make his first All-Star appearance since 2013 when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics. He was also an All-Star in his Cy Young Award-winning season in 2005 with the Los Angeles Angels and in 1998 as a 25-year-old with the Cleveland Indians.
Colon is 7-4 this season with a 3.28 ERA and 10 quality starts as a veteran presence inside a loaded Mets rotation that is stacked with young talent.
Even though he's a bottom-end starter in New York, he's still capable of spinning some gems. He recently outdueled reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs on July 2, going six innings and allowing just two runs while striking out five in a 4-3 Mets win.
The man nicknamed "Big Sexy" has become a cult favorite not only with Mets fans but with baseball enthusiasts across the country due to his laid-back style and ability to make plays despite his 5'11", 280-plus pound stature.
But one of his finest moments of the season came in the batter's box of the same ballpark where the All-Star Game is being held. In a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in May, Colon launched his first career home run off James Shields:
With this being the last year on his deal with the Mets, via Spotrac, and given his age, this could well be Colon's final season in Major League Baseball. If it is, then baseball fans everywhere will get at least one more opportunity to see such a universally loved player on the national stage.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.
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