Throughout franchise history, sports media and fans occasionally referenced larger-framed relief pitchers or cult-favorite athletes who populated the New York Mets bullpen. Most notably, fan favorites like Bartolo Colón—affectionately nicknamed "Big Sexy"—captured the hearts of baseball fans everywhere with his endearing physique, incredible longevity, and improbable offensive heroics while anchoring the Mets' starting rotation during his later years in the major leagues, becoming one of the most beloved figures in modern sports history.