Bartolo Colon's home run proves baseball doesn't need a designated hitter

He's somewhat built like a slugger, so maybe we should have seen this coming. In case you've been wandering through the woods or something the past eighteen hours, 42-year-old Bartolo Colon clubbed the first home run of his career, as the sun exploded into a supernova and we arrived at the end of days.

Ever since he first lost his helmet during a swing, Mets fans have come to cherish every time Colon steps up to bat. They approach his at-bats with the same excitement they have for a Michael Conforto or Yoenis Cespedes at-bat. And last night, fans were rewarded for it in the most unexpected way possible.

But even with something as pure, jovial, and leisurely as Colon's home run trot, there's a problem looming. We're approaching a baseball universe in which pitchers will never hit. There's still juice in the designated hitter debate, but as interleague play becomes more common, it becomes more likely the National League will also play with one.

You don't need to be a baseball historian to know that a vast majority of baseball has been played without the DH. But you can also look to future to prove the National League should keep its pitchers hitting. Colon's home run is unquestionably the most memorable moment in all of baseball so far this season, and I would bet it stays that way until at least October. Baseball's a game that thrives on its randomness; because they play so many games, near-impossible things happen every so often. That's what makes the game to special.

Let Bartolo's power surge serve as a reminder that baseball is a better product when pitchers hit. And here's to you, Bartolo Colon. And here's to hoping you're the greatest designated hitter the Mets ever have.