Bartolo Colon faces Robinson Cano in Baseball United League debut



We’re living in a time warp where Bartolo Colon is dealing to ex-Yankees Robinson Cano and Didi Gregorius.

Colon, 50, was on the bump Friday for the United East All-Stars in the debut of the Baseball United League, a new league founded in the Middle East and Asia.

He pitched a perfect first inning against the West All-Stars, who had Robinson Cano leading off.

Cano, 41, rolled over an 81-mph fastball to first baseman Jefry Marte but nearly beat him to the bag.

Colon then caught his second batter, journeyman and ex-Met Alejandro De Aza, looking on the outside corner.

In stepped Gregorius, batting third, who got ahead in the count but also rolled over a 2-0 pitch to second base.

Colon, the ex-Met, was pulled during the third inning.

He allowed two runs in the second inning and didn’t seem to mix in many pitches, sticking to an 81-mph offering throughout his brief outing.

Bartolo Colon and the stars of the Baseball United League debut.
LYDIA SPRINGMEYER

Colon pitched opposite Jair Jurrjens, best known for posting a 2.60 ERA spanning 34 starts for the Atlanta Braves in 2009.

The league features plenty of ex-major league talent.

“Now you see baseball players, when they get to 32, 33 if they’re not playing at a high level they’re not even going to get a chance to play in the big leagues,” Cano told The Post prior to the league’s debut Friday. “So, guys have to go to Mexico. If you don’t do your job right away then you get released.”

Bartolo Colon jokes with Did Gregorius about needing to lift more weights .
x/talkiinbaseball

The league features many players looking for another shot at The Show, including 37-year-old Pablo Sandoval.

Even De Aza, 39, played 10 years in the big leagues, including a cup of coffee with the Mets in 2016.

Gregorius, 33, is probably the most recently accomplished player in the league. He hit .284 with the Phillies in 2020, a year after he departed from the Yankees.

He signed a two-year deal with the Phillies for $28 million but got little interest in free agency after the 2022 season.

Gregorius rips a double to right field off the wall.
X/TalkinBaseball

Gregorius ripped a one-out double off Colon in the third inning, which chased “Big Sexy” from the game.

Colon jokingly mocked Gregorius after the double glanced off the wall, signaling weightlifting.

The East rallied to defeat the West, 3-2, in the league’s debut game.





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