Colon shrugs off child support story after wild start

Bartolo Colon insisted to reporters after Wednesday's rough outing that he was not distracted by a New York Post story that ran earlier in the day that alleges the Mets pitcher hasn't paid child support for two children he fathered outside of marriage.

Colon, who turns 43 next week, is being sued by a woman who says the popular pitcher has failed to provide child-support payments for a secret 7-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son. The suit was filed a year ago, and according to the New York Post's Julia Marsh, Colon appeared in Manhattan court Monday in a case titled "Anonymous v. Anonymous."

The report surfaced just hours before Colon made arguably his worst start of the season in a 7-1 loss to the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. The right-hander walked a season-high five batters - his most walks in over 10 years - and issued consecutive free passes twice, the first time he's done that since 2007. The Mets, who entered the game having issued the fewest walks in the majors, walked a staggering 11 Nationals, including Bryce Harper four times.

Manager Terry Collins called Colon's outing ''shocking'' and said he was ''baffled,'' according to The Associated Press. Despite the uncharacteristic results, Colon said the story wasn't weighing on his mind.

''When I'm here doing my job, nothing else affects me,'' he told ESPN's Adam Rubin through a translator. ''I have nothing to add to that. I don't really care to talk about my personal stuff.''

Colon's wife of 21 years, Rosanna, refused to comment when reached by the Post on Wednesday. "I can't talk about that," she said. "This is personal and not something I want to talk about."