Former New York Yankees star and AL Cy Young winning pitcher Bartolo Colon is one of 12 new players to join the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for 2024.
Bartolo Colon Made His Presence Felt As a Premiere Pitcher of His Era
MLB.com’s Brian Murphy released the list of first-ballot nominees, with Colon carrying a strong case for induction. He had this to say about Colon’s achievements:
“In the Wild Card Era (since 1995), only CC Sabathia has made more starts and thrown more innings than Colon. His 21-year journey through the Majors took him to 11 teams and included 247 wins — the most by a Dominican-born pitcher. He topped 200 innings in seven seasons, including his AL Cy Young year of 2005 with the Angels.”
Colon was dominant on the mound for the bulk of his over two-decades-long tenure in the MLB. He produced 2,535 career strikeouts behind a 4.12 ERA and 1.312 WHIP.
He led the American League with 21 wins in his 2005 Cy Young winning season with the Los Angeles Angels. Colon finished in the top 10 in win percentage five times and sports a career 48.2 WAR. Colon was well-rounded in putting hitters away, generating wins, and even fielding. He showed off his impressive reflexes and baseball IQ having led the National League with six double plays turned in 2015 and 40 assists in 2016.
“Big Sexy” as he was called during his playing days, added flare and swagger to his allure and is synonymous with baseball in the 2000s and 2010s.
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Can Colon Become the Next Yankees Player to Enter the HOF?
Specifically with the Yankees, he went 8-10 in his lone 2011 season with the franchise behind a 4.00 ERA. The Yankees did advance to the ALDS that year, but Colon did not make an appearance, though he was a staple in their rotation all season long.
There are 50 former Yankees players that have been enshrined at Cooperstown, 20 of whom were inducted as Yankees. Colon spent much of his time with the Cleveland Indians, Angels, and New York Mets, the former two of which will likely be the highlight of his induction if and when he gets his bid.
The Baseball Hall of Fame is the hardest Hall to gain entry into of the four major American team sports with 342 total members in the league’s 146-year history. Only 58 players have been elected in their first year of eligibility. Colon has an impressive career worth of accolades that will garner strong consideration, but will likely have to wait before he gets his time in the light.
