Bartolo Colon's Hall of Fame case isn't particularly overwhelming, but tying a Hall of Famer in wins certainly doesn't hurt.
On Wednesday night, the 45-year-old Texas Rangers pitcher tied Juan Marichal for the most wins by a Dominican-born pitcher with 243.
"I feel very happy because I finally got my 243rd win," Colon told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. "I tied this mark with a Hall of Famer, so I feel very proud and honored to do that. It means a lot. Because he's Dominican. He was the first guy from the Dominican to become a Hall of Famer."
If Colon is able to collect three more wins, the ageless hurler will surpass Dennis Martinez, a Nicaraguan, for the most wins by a Latin American pitcher. While Marichal is enshrined in Cooperstown, the Hall of Fame eluded Martinez.
Marichal, a 10-time All-Star, played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, predominantly as a member of the San Francisco Giants. He captured the ERA title in 1969 and collected 243 wins in 457 starts.
Meanwhile, Colon's 243rd win came in the 539th start of his career. Over 21 seasons, he's made appearances with 11 different teams, posting a 4.05 ERA.
