Baseball

Chris Colabello's 2015 breakout with Blue Jays ended by PED suspension

The first baseman and designated hitter hit .321 in 101 games in 2015 before an 80-game ban in 2016.

Tyler Brennan · Baseball Writer
October 25, 2026 · More from this writer

The Toronto Blue Jays claimed Chris Colabello off waivers from the Minnesota Twins before the 2015 season, acquiring a 31-year-old with modest major league numbers. Colabello had posted a .214/.284/.364 line with 13 home runs in 114 games over two years with Minnesota, leading to low expectations for a player who hadn't hit well enough to earn regular playing time. An injury to outfielder Michael Saunders, who suffered a knee injury on a sprinkler head in Dunedin, created a sudden need for outfield help. Dalton Pompey's slow start and the team's impatience led to Colabello getting the call-up in early May.

Colabello played the outfield with all the elegance of a statue, 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 his bat couldn't make up for his glove in the outfield, so he shifted to first base and designated hitter, sharing time with Justin Smoak. Smoak, also new to the 2015 roster, wasn't having a strong season, though his power was undeniable.

Colabello finished the 2015 season with a .321/.367/.520 line and 15 home runs in 101 games. His defensive play limited his overall value, resulting in a 0.7 bWAR, according to the statistical measure. He performed well in the American League Division Series, hitting .375/.412/.688, but struggled in the Championship Series, managing only .217/.250/.391. Questions arose about whether his success, aided by an unusually high .411 batting average on balls in play, was sustainable for the 2016 season, though there was hope he could still produce solid numbers with more walks and fewer strikeouts.

Colabello began the 2016 season in a severe 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 about the situation.

After his suspension, Colabello did not play another major league game for the Blue Jays. In 2017, he played in the minor league systems of the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .254/.350/.395. He spent the 2018 season playing in Italy and the 2019 season in independent leagues. Colabello also represented Italy in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and played a season in Mexico.

With files from Yahoo Sports and Bluebird Banter