Colon locks in on next target after setting record Tuesday

Bartolo Colon still has another lofty goal after becoming the top winning pitcher from Latin America.

“This year is almost getting close to the end. But there is one thing that I will look for, is Juan Marichal has more innings than me,” Colon said through a translator. “For the Dominicans, I want to beat him also.”

But there likely won’t be enough time left in his 21st big league season for the 45-year-old Texas Rangers right-hander to do that.

After needing six tries to get his 246th career victory and finally break a tie with Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez for the most win by a Latin American, Colon now would have to throw 61 2/3 more innings to pass Hall of Famer and fellow countryman Marichal on another list.

The last-place Rangers have only 46 games left in this long and hot summer. Colon, who has averaged just under six innings in his 21 starts, would probably have no more than nine starts remaining in a five-man rotation and if he stayed on his turn.

But the Rangers are clearly focused on the future and likely will want to look at some younger pitchers, especially after rosters expand Sept. 1. Plus, they are already lined up with six starters and Colon won’t pitch again until next week, even though the team has no off days before then.

When asked Wednesday if Colon’s workload would be lessened down the stretch, manager Jeff Banister responded, “We’re still in the same rotation as before.”

Nationals: Washington right-hander Kelvin Herrera was placed on the 10day disabled list with a right rotator cuff impingement, further thinning the back of Washington’s bullpen.

Herrera was 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA and three saves with the Nationals.