With Bartolo Colon scheduled to return for the Atlanta Braves in the near future, it's an appropriate time to reminisce, as it’s the 15th anniversary of a historic trade in which he was the centerpiece.

On June 27, 2002, Colon was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the Montreal Expos, who fancied themselves contenders for the National League wild card and NL East races despite deficits of 5 and 6.5 games respectively at the end of the day.

In return for Colon and Tim Drew, the Indians received from the Expos an incredible combination of prospects -- Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore and Brandon Phillips -- along with veteran first baseman Lee Stevens.

Colon delivered as promised, pitching like an ace. He went 10-4 with a 3.31 ERA and four complete games. He finished the season with a combined 20 wins, one of two times in his career he has won 20 games.

But the trade didn’t work out for the Expos because the rest of the team failed to deliver around him. After the Expos beat the Pirates that night, they followed by going 8-15 in their next 23 games to drop below .500. General manager Omar Minaya, who made other “go-for-it” moves (obtaining Cliff Floyd) quickly went from buyer to seller, but he hung on to Colon through season’s end. Colon wasn't traded until the offseason when he was dealt to the White Sox. The players Minaya got back combined for -4 WAR (yes, minus-4).

Colon’s post-Expos path included two stints with the White Sox, four seasons with the Angels (he won 21 games and a Cy Young in 2005 but faltered therafter), a brief stint with the Red Sox, a year with the Yankees, and then a rebirth with the Athletics (two seasons) and the Mets (three) after serving a PED-related suspension.

Colon, like another player in this trade, is now with the Braves, where the going hasn’t been good. He’s 2-7 with a 7.78 ERA and fighting for a roster spot.

The story of this trade is in what happened to the players the Indians received (other than Stevens, whose career ended that season). The three prospects in the deal combined for more than 100 WAR ... and then some.

What Expos Gave Up Notable Prospects WAR

After Trade Cliff Lee 43.3 Brandon Phillips 31.5 Grady Sizemore 27.2 * Bartolo Colon: 2.4 WAR with Expos

Lee had his ups and downs early in his career. He was 18-5 with a 3.79 ERA in 2005, but had ERAs of 4.40 and 6.29 the following two seasons. In 2008, he turned the corner and became the best pitcher in baseball, winning the Cy Young with a 22-3 record and 2.54 ERA.

Lee is still paying dividends for the Indians in a different way. In late July 2009, the Indians traded him to the Phillies for four prospects, including one of Cleveland’s top current pitchers, Carlos Carrasco. The Indians have gotten a combined 30-WAR from Lee and Carrasco combined.

Sizemore made his major league debut at age 21 in 2004. In 2005, he hit 22 home runs and stole 22 bases, the first of four straight 20-20 seasons. The biggest benefit for the Indians came in 2007, when they came within one game of making the World Series. Sizemore played every game that season, hit .277 with a .390 on-base percentage and had 24 home runs and 33 stolen bases.

He followed that with a 33-homer, 38-steal season in 2008 and appeared headed toward an elite career until it was derailed by injuries. He played five more seasons, but played more than 100 games only twice in that time. He retired after the 2015 season with 150 career home runs and 143 stolen bases.

It took Phillips awhile to have success. In fact, it took him until he left the Indians. He was traded to the Reds in April 2006 after hitting .206 in 135 games with Cleveland.

But once in his new home, Phillips thrived. He spent 11 seasons as the Reds' everyday second baseman, making three All-Star teams and winning four Gold Gloves. He hit 191 home runs and stole 194 bases. Only two other Reds have as many home runs and steals -- Eric Davis and Hall-of-Famer Barry Larkin.

Phillips has reached the tail end of his career but is doing so close to home (he was born in North Carolina, but went to school in Georgia) with the Braves. He’s hitting .301 with seven home runs and will probably start the next time Colon takes the mound. The two, linked by this trade, are now working together to get the Braves closer to respectability.