Chris Colabello celebrates his 41st birthday today.
The Blue Jays acquired Chris from the Twins off waivers before the 2015 season. In his two seasons with the Twins, he posted a batting line of .214/.284/.364, hitting 13 home runs in 114 games. Given his struggles, it was hard to be enthusiastic about a 31-year-old who could play first base or designated hitter but hadn’t proven himself.
However, Chris excelled during spring training, and when Michael Saunders suffered a knee injury on a sprinkler head, the team needed an outfielder. Dalton Pompey’s poor start didn’t help, so by early May, Colabello got the opportunity.
Chris played the outfield with a unique style reminiscent of the early Jays’ Otto Velez, and he quickly found his hitting touch. By the end of May, he was batting .368/.417/.568.
By late June, the team decided his bat couldn’t compensate for his outfield defense, shifting him to first base and DH. Justin Smoak, who also joined the team that season, wasn’t performing as well but showed potential with his power.
This led to ongoing debates about who should play first base, prompting me to avoid the GameThreads altogether. Chris had an impressive season, finishing with a .321/.367/.520 line and 15 home runs in 101 games, although his defense impacted his WAR, which was 0.7 bWAR.
He performed well in the ALDS, hitting .375/.412/.688, but struggled in the ALCS with a .217/.250/.391 line.
There were concerns about his sustainability, especially with a .411 BABIP, but with some adjustments, he could still have succeeded.
Unfortunately, Chris started the 2016 season poorly, hitting just .069/.156/.225, and then news broke of his positive PED test. With MLB implementing stricter testing, he received an 80-game suspension. Chris claimed he was unaware of how the substance entered his system, and although I’m skeptical of such claims, it’s hard to say for certain.
In 2017, he played in the minors for Cleveland and Milwaukee, posting a line of .254/.350/.395. He then spent 2018 in Italy and played in independent leagues in 2019 but hasn’t returned to the majors since. I admire players who continue to pursue their passion for baseball in independent leagues.
Chris always seemed likable and entertaining, albeit less so in the outfield. I hope he’s doing well.
Happy Birthday, Chris! Enjoy your day.