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Bartolo Colon has been around the majors for a long, long time.
So long in fact that his first major league appearance predates two major league franchises.
To put a number on it, he has pitched in 20 major league seasons dating back to 1997, he missed all of the 2010 season with an injury. He has the longest career of any active player in the majors, and he’ll take on the Rays tonight.
Looking back, Bartolo Colon is the only active player in baseball that faced the then Devil Rays during their inaugural season.
Colon actually faced the Devil Rays three times during the 1998 season.
The first game came on May 1st, 1998 and this was the lineup he faced.
Quinton McCracken, CF
David Martinez, DH
Mike Kelly, RF
Paul Sorrento, 1B
Jeromo Walton, LF
Bob Smith, 3B
Mike Difelice, C
Kevin Stocker, SS
Miguel Cairo, 2B
Bartolo Colon would pitch seven innings that game and allow four runs — three earned — on eight hits while he walked four and struck out six en route to picking up a victory.
#BigSexy has been doing this baseball thing longer than we have.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) September 5, 2017
He beat us in our first meeting - the 36th game in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/wPvF5LjXRj
Colon has made 24 starts — with a 9-6 record — against the Rays over his long career as he went to the hill for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, and the New York Mets. Tonight will be the 25th time Colon takes on the Rays, with the last contest coming back during the 2015 season.