Colon, 44, makes big pitch to join Rangers’ rotation

Bartolo Colon could be pitching his way into the Texas Rangers’ rotation at age 44 as he continues to shut down hitters half his age in spring training.

The Rangers’ rotation has a lot of moving parts.

Cole Hamels, Matt Moore and Doug Fister appear to be locks for the top three spots. Mike Minor remains a candidate, but could be switched to closer, a role he was effective in at the end of last season with Kansas City.

Left-hander Martin Perez threw 69 pitches in a minor league game Monday, allowing six runs, three earned, in four innings. He has been set back in spring training after breaking his right (non-pitching) elbow in December in an incident with a bull on his Venezuelan ranch. He could begin the season on the disabled list.

Clayton Blackburn, another rotation candidate, exited in the first inning in a Monday start against Cleveland with right elbow tightness. He will undergo further evaluation.

Enter Colon, the 2005 American League Cy Young Award winner who is in camp on a minor league contract. The former A’s All- Star no longer dominates with a mid-90s mph fastball, but he is deceptive with pinpoint control. He is making it difficult for the Rangers not to keep him.

“I don’t think about it, because I have been in the game so long,” Colon said through a translator. “I just have my job and let them make a decision.”

In a Sunday start against the Los Angeles Angels, Colon allowed one unearned run over four innings. He permitted two hits, walked none and struck out three. He threw first-pitch strikes to the 15 hitters he faced.

“A lot of strikes, moved the fastball around, knows how to pitch,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “A lot of moxie on that mound and a lot of knowhow, nothing rattles him.”

In three appearances, Colon has a 1.04 ERA, giving up one earned run in 8 2/3 innings. He has struck out six, walked one and allowed nine hits.

Colon has a base salary of $1.75 million if he makes the team.

Meanwhile, the younger Rangers pitchers are paying close attention to Colon fooling hitters with less than overwhelming stuff.

“They can learn a lot,” Colon said. “There is a reason why I have pitched so long in the major leagues.” ROCKIES >> Colorado finalized a $5 million, oneyear contract to bring back three- time All- Star and popular clubhouse leader Carlos Gonzalez.

His agreement includes $3 million in bonuses based on days on the active roster.

Gonzalez had a $20 million salary last year in the final season of an $80 million, seven-year contract and became a free agent after nine seasons with the Rockies. The three- time Gold Glove outfielder struggled for most of last season, but he showed signs of breaking out of his funk down the stretch, though, hitting six of his 14 homers in September.

YANKEES >> Free agent Neil Walker agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract, a 75 percent paycut for the infielder in a deal that allows New York prospects Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar more time to mature in the minor leagues.

Walker likely will start at second base and Brandon Drury, acquired from Arizona last month, will play third. Walker is among the victims of a historically slow free agent market. He earned $17.2 million last season, when he accepted a qualifying offer from the New York Mets. The 32-year- old hit .265 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs last year for the Mets and Milwaukee.

• Hall of Famer and New York Yankees special adviser Reggie Jackson is on the disabled list.

Jackson will have knee surgery today after tripping and falling during a walk Monday morning.

The Yankees said Jackson, an instructor at spring training, was in “good spirits.”

Jackson, whose career started with the A’s, hit 563 career home runs, including 144 with the Yankees from 1977-81.

TWINS >> Minnesota finalized a $12million, one-year contract with right-hander Lance Lynn, another lowrisk move toward strengthening their pitching staff that ranked 19th in the major leagues in 2017 with a 4.59 ERA.

Lynn, who joined his new teammates on the field for an afternoon workout in Fort Myers, Florida, will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday before taking the mound for an exhibition against Baltimore.

After missing the 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Lynn went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 33 starts for St. Louis in 2017 last year.

Tomake roomon the 40man roster, the Twins released right-hander Anibal Sanchez after a three-week stint with the club. ORIOLES >> Fulfilling a child’s request to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is going to be cheaper at Camden Yards this season.

The Baltimore Orioles have launched a program that will enable kids to attend home games free of charge. Every adult who purchases a regularly priced upper deck ticket can bring up to two children, age 9 or under.