Bartolo continues to defy time in Mexico

Bartolo Colón may not be pitching in the Majors in 2021, but that hasn't stopped him from taking the mound and dominating. The 48-year-old right-hander -- beloved for defying time and, in some cases, physics -- lowered his season ERA to 3.56 in five starts for the Mexican League's Acereros de Monclova on Saturday night. He gave up two runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out seven in a 6-2 complete-game win over Rieleros de Aguascalientes.

Colón spent more than two decades in the Major Leagues from 1997-2018, pitching for 11 different teams and becoming a folk hero for his tremendous ability to pitch effectively despite his age and unathletic frame. In all, he had a career 4.12 ERA (106 ERA+) over 3,461 2/3 innings. He made his big league debut in 1997, was a four-time All-Star and the 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner while with the Angels.

During his career, the ageless Colón pitched against both Eddie Murray (who began his MLB career in 1977) and Matt Chapman (who made his MLB debut in 2017), representing players who appeared in Major League games in parts of five different decades.

Whether it's in the Majors or in the Mexican League, watching Colón pitch anywhere remains a delight. And it seems as though we may get to watch him for years to come. Now, all we need to do is get Julio Franco into the batter's box against him for the ultimate ageless-wonder showdown.