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Bartolo's back: Photo gallery of MLB's most entertaining player

Reuters / USA TODAY Sports

Bartolo Colon is set to embark on his 19th season in the majors after reportedly agreeing to a one-year, $7.25-million deal to return to the New York Mets.

LaTroy Hawkins has passed the torch to the 42-year-old Colon, who now holds the title as the oldest active player in the majors.

Colon's remarkable run has seen him throw more than 3,000 innings, play for eight different organizations, and make a trio of All-Star appearances.

Here is a look at Colon's career through the years:

Young and the Restless

Signed as an amateur free agent by the Cleveland Indians in 1993, Colon made his major-league debut in 1997 as a 24-year-old. He'd go 75-45 in six seasons in Cleveland, making the All-Star team in 1998.

The Big O Show

The Indians traded Colon to the Montreal Expos in a six-player blockbuster deal In June of 2002. Colon, along with fellow right-hander Tim Drew, were shipped to Montreal in exchange for Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore, and Lee Stevens. The trade is arguably one of the worst in history for the Expos, who got just 17 starts out of Colon before they traded him to the Chicago White Sox the following winter.

Beauty and the Beast

Colon sandwiched his best year in the majors between three of his worst during his time with the Los Angeles Angels. He claimed the American League Cy Young Award in 2005 after going 21-8 with a 3.48 ERA. However, Colon manged a 5.40 ERA in the other three seasons in which he spent most of his time on the disabled list.

Turning the Page

Three years removed from winning the Cy Young, Colon agreed to a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox in 2008. Colon threw just 39 innings for the Red Sox, and ended his tenure on the suspended list after going to the Dominican Republic to handle a personal matter and not returning.

Swing and a Miss

Colon has provided plenty of must-see moments at the plate. He's a career 20-for-216 (.093) hitter, and boosted his average thanks to a career-best eight hits collected in 2015.

Rumble in the Bronx

After throwing a combined 257 innings in five seasons from 2006-10, Colon finally got back on track with the New York Yankees in 2011. Following shoulder and elbow surgery, he'd go 8-10 with a 4.00 ERA in 164 1/3 innings in pinstripes - his best year since 2005.

A League of His Own

Colon turned his success in the Bronx into a major-league deal with the Oakland Athletics in 2012. He'd be suspended for 50 games after testing positive for testosterone the following August, but was selected to his third All-Star team a year later after going 11-3 with a 2.78 ERA to start the season.

King of Queens

The Mets agreed to a two-year, $20-million deal with Colon prior to the 2014 season in order to inject his veteran presence into a youthful rotation. He became the third Dominican-born pitcher to win 200 games, and third Opening Day pitcher over 40 years of age to strike out eight batters.

19 and counting

Colon will return for a 19th season after pitching in the World Series for the first time in his career in 2015. He's thrown 2,037 more innings than the other four starters in the Mets' projected rotation combined. To put things in perspective, Noah Syndergaard was born nine months before Colon signed his first contract with the Indians.

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