Texas Rangers rumors: Bartolo Colon in talks with Texas

Texas Rangers rumors: Bartolo Colon, free agent pitcher, is discussing a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, per multiple baseball writers on Twitter. Colon, who turns 45 in May, pitched for the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves in 2017.

Signing Colon would prompt much discussion and hilarity, as he’s viewed as an amusing character at this point in his career, and has been embraced by the media (despite having a suspension for PEDs in his past, which is usually the death knell for a player). That being said, Colon wasn’t good last year -- he had an 8.14 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in 63 innings over 13 starts before being released on July 4, and then had a 5.18 ERA in 80 innings over 15 starts with the Twins, who signed him just three days later.

That said, as a guy to bring to camp on a minor league deal as potential rotation depth, I guess it is fine. Colon had a solid season for the New York Mets in 2016, putting up a 3.4 bWAR in 34 games, and has been in major league rotations since 2011, generally serviceably, though he had a combined 1.5 bWAR in 2014-15.

If Colon signs with Texas it will prompt jokes and fans and media members will get to do bits, but he probably won’t make the major league roster, and if he does make the major league roster, it could well be for just a short time due to Martin Perez’s elbow situation. Jon Niese, another former Mets starting pitcher signed to a minor league deal last month, is a more interesting signing who is more likely to be a factor in 2018.

But as a guy on a minor league deal, it is, well, no big deal. It would be just another arm brought to camp, and isn’t going to impact what other moves the Rangers might make.