Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Plans MLB Retirement After Five-Year Hiatus

Former Red Sox pitcher Bartolo Colón is officially calling it a career after 21 years of service in Major League Baseball.

Five years removed from his last big league appearance on the mound, Colón will retire as a member of the Mets, per team announcement. New York is scheduling an entire celebration day for the now-50-year-old, taking place on Sept. 18 prior to the team’s matchup with the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.

“I played with a lot of teams during my career, but playing for the Mets was very special to me,” Colón said, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “The fans treated me great and I can’t wait to celebrate my career with them on September 17.”

Colón, who played for 12 different teams throughout his career, made four All-Star Games and won the American League Cy Young Award in 2005. He had a brief run with Boston as the right-hander made seven starts for the Red Sox in 2009, going 4-2 with a 3.92 ERA after getting nailed by injuries.

He then found his footing with the Mets, starting in 2014. Colón posted a 3.90 ERA through three seasons in New York, becoming a fan-favorite shortly after getting busted for PEDs, which earned him a 50-game suspension in 2012 with the Oakland Athletics.

Colón hasn’t completely walked away from baseball, pitching during the Mets’ Old Timers’ game in 2022.