Today marks Chris Colabello’s 43rd birthday.
The Blue Jays claimed Chris Colabello off waivers from the Twins before the 2015 season. During his two years with Minnesota, he posted a .214/.284/.364 line with 13 home runs in 114 games. Understandably, expectations were low for a 31-year-old first baseman/DH who hadn’t hit well enough to earn regular playing time.
Chris impressed in spring training. When Michael Saunders suffered a knee injury on a sprinkler head in Dunedin, the team suddenly needed
outfield help. Dalton Pompey’s slow start and the Jays’ impatience led to Colabello getting the call-up in early May.
Colabello played the outfield with all the elegance of a statue—reminiscent of early Jays experiments with Otto Velez—but he found his swing at the plate. By the end of his first month, he was batting an impressive .368/.417/.568.
By late June, it was clear Chris’s bat couldn’t make up for his glove in the outfield, so he shifted to first base and DH. Justin Smoak, also new to the 2015 roster, wasn’t having a strong season, though his power was undeniable—when Smoak homered, it was never a cheap shot.
Unfortunately, the GameThreads devolved into endless debates about who should play first. For the first time, I found myself avoiding them. Chris nevertheless had an outstanding season, finishing at .321/.367/.520 with 15 home runs in 101 games. His defense limited his value—he posted a 0.7 bWAR.
He shined in the ALDS, hitting .375/.412/.688, but struggled in the ALCS, managing only .217/.250/.391.
We wondered if he could replicate his success. His .411 BABIP seemed unsustainable to many of us, but with more walks and fewer strikeouts, there was hope he could still produce solid numbers.
We never got to find out. Chris began the 2016 season in a slump, hitting just .069/.156/.225.
Then came the news of his positive PED test. With MLB’s improved testing, several players were caught that year, and Chris received an 80-game suspension. He claimed not to know how the substance entered his system and gave an emotional interview to Sportsnet. Personally, I’m skeptical of such claims—but who can say for sure? The slow start may have been because he knew the suspension was coming.
In 2017, he played in the minors for Cleveland and Milwaukee, hitting .254/.350/.395. He spent 2018 in Italy and 2019 in the independent leagues. I admire players who love the game enough to keep playing, even in the independents. He also played for Italy in the WBC in 2017 and played in Mexico for a season
Chris always seemed likable and was fun to watch (if a bit less so in the outfield). I hope things are going well for him.
Happy birthday, Chris. Wishing you all the best.
