Bartolo Colon has minor-league teams hungry to cash in

When fan favorite Bartolo Colon signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins, everyone knew that he would instantly become one the most effective marketing tools in Triple-A.

On Thursday, the former Cy Young award winner will make his first start for his new club the Rochester Red Wings.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who will oppose Colon at home, made it very clear why fans should want to come out to Coca-Cola Park for the game Thursday night.

Here is what you are greeted with when you open the team’s website:

Aside from online promotions, the Iron Pigs will also have some in-stadium specials to commemorate “Big Sexy’s” start. Unsurprisingly, it has to do with food.

The Red Wings also recently announced that they will be changing their name to the Rochester Plates on Aug. 10 for one game in order to pay homage to the garbage plate – their famous ballpark food offering.

The name change just so happens to coincide with the acquisition of the burly right hander.

If that’s not enough, you can preorder a Bartolo Colon Plates shirsey right now…

“There is nothing more Rochester than the Garbage Plate,” general manager Dan Mason said in a statement. “There isn’t another food item that Rochesterians are more proud of or that is more celebrated in our city than the Garbage Plate and we can’t wait to take the field as the Plates!”

Before signing with the Twins’ minor league affiliate, Colon was released by the Atlanta Braves after posting a 2-8 record with an 8.14 ERA in 2017.