Is Bartolo Colon going to retire after his next start?

As you may have heard, Bartolo Colon made his first start for the Twins Tuesday night against the Yankees at Target Field. It went... well, it could have gone better, but it wasn’t so bad that the Twins immediately released him after the game or anything. By all accounts, it appears Bartolo will start again for the Twins next Monday against the Dodgers.

But that might be Colon’s last start. Ever.

According to a report published earlier today by ESPN, Colon is unsatisfied with how he has been pitching and is considering retiring after next Monday’s game:

"I talk a lot with my father and with my wife and I tell them that maybe it's enough already, that this is it," Colon told ESPN. "And my father and my wife always tell me that if that is my decision, they would support me.

"I've had those thoughts [about retirement]. I've thought about it, so we'll see. This year things have gone very badly, and a lot of things come to mind, that maybe it's better to hang up my glove, as one says, but we'll see what happens in my next start."

WHAT!?!? NO! BARTOLO, YOU JUST SIGNED WITH US. YOU CAN’T QUIT NOW!!!

Though the report appears grim, Colon’s words may have been taken slightly out of context. Though he talks about retiring, and about “seeing what happens” in his next start, he never exactly said he would retire mid-season if the next start doesn’t go well. In fact, he actually talks about how he made a promise to his late mother that he would pitch until he was 45 years old, but he doesn’t turn 45 until next May. I think he very well could have just meant that he might retire before that—as in, not seek a job next season—if things don’t start improving ASAP.

Which is basically what MLB.com reporter Jesse Sanchez came out and said this afternoon in a tweet that, most importantly, included a gratuitous video of Bartolo working out in a “BARTBINO” shirt:

What a treasure.

Anyway, Chad Graff of the Pioneer Press reported on the issue, but said Bartolo Colon was not available to talk to reporters before the game on Wednesday. So we don’t have a definitive answer.

Here’s the rub for me: If Bartolo Colon really is considering retirement, why would he sign a contract with the Twins, make two starts, and then retire? This doesn’t seem like something he just started considering over night. To me, it makes more sense if you read his words to ESPN as talking about whether he will keep going after this season or if he loses his job with the Twins.

But I guess anything is possible.