Bartolo Colon clears waivers; could trade be next?
Bartolo Colon of the Mets delivers a pitch in the first inning of a game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Bartolo Colon cleared waivers Monday, according to a FoxSports.com report, freeing the Mets to trade the veteran pitcher to any team in baseball until the end of the month.
Colon, 41, has been steady in his first season with the Mets. In 25 starts, he's 12-10 with a 3.82 ERA, while logging 167 1/3 innings.
In need of pitching, the Angels could be the most logical fit, especially after the loss of Garrett Richards due to a season-ending knee injury. However, rival executives also see the Dodgers and Tigers as potential suitors for Colon, who has $11 million left on his contract next season.
While an August trade is possible, it is not definite.
The Mets are also open to dealing Colon in the winter, when a wider pool of teams could attempt to land the pitcher. Rival executives believe Colon would draw healthy interest because his salary would be attractive for teams in search of a mid-rotation starter. Because he's already under contract, his cost would be locked in, an advantage over free agents on the open market.
The Mets have had recent success with waiver trades. Last August, they acquired reliever Vic Black and prospect Dilson Herrera from the Pirates for Marlon Byrd and John Buck.
