Bartolo Colon’s career isn’t over.
The Minnesota Twins signed the former Braves pitcher to a minor-league contract Friday.
The Twins say Colon, who has 235 career victories, will report to Triple-A Rochester soon.
Colon, the oldest active major leaguer at 44, was released by the Braves after he went 2-8 with an 8.14 ERA in 13 starts after signing a one-year, $12.5 million free-agent contract in November.
“It’s unfortunate for him and for us,” Braves general manager John Coppolella said last Thursday after Colon was designated for assignment. “Not sure anybody took it harder than he did when he wasn’t performing. Seems like he felt he owed it to our fans and the Braves to try to have a good season. We wish him the best going forward. He’s a great teammate and a great person. Whatever happens, he’s had a great career.”
Colon’s 8.14 ERA is more than double his 20-year career ERA of 4.02 in 521 games including 513 starts. He had a 3.93 career ERA before this season, and his current ERA is nearly two runs higher than the career-worst 6.34 ERA posted in 2007 with the Angels.
In 2016, while pitching for the Mets, Colon went 15-8 and worked 191 2/3 innings.
He was 44-34 with a 3.90 ERA during three seasons with New York, and the Braves gambled that he had enough left in his right arm to produce similar results on a one-year deal.
Now the Twins will give him a shot.
The AJC’s David O’Brien contributed to this article.
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