The oldest player in Major League Baseball has a new home — and a pay raise, to boot.
After three seasons with the New York Mets, 43-year-old right-hander Bartolo Colon on Friday agreed to one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves, pending a physical, according to multiple reports. Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball was the first to report news of the agreement.
Colon’s new deal will pay him $12.5 million this season, a source told FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, more than he’s made in any season since 2007. Colon made $7.25 million in the final year of his Mets contract.
A veteran of nine major league teams, Colon enjoyed cult-hero status during his time in New York. This past season, he led the Mets in wins with 15, earned his fourth All-Star selection as an injury replacement and also belted his first career home run.
Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard seemed to take the news of Colon’s departure particularly hard.
The Braves, who haven’t finished above .500 since 2013, also signed 42-year-old knuckleballer R.A. Dickey on Thursday.
Thumbnail photo via Derik Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports Images
