2016 Blue Jays Season Review: Chris Colabello

By: Jay Blue and @JaysGirlEmily

Blue Jays From Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Chris Colabello surprised many with his outstanding 2015 campaign. After rising though the independent leagues and forging a career in the high minors and majors with the Minnesota Twins, Colabello landed in Toronto in the 2014/15 offseason and slugged his way to a .321/.367/.520 slash line in 2015 with 19 doubles, a triple and 15 home runs, getting a lot of playing time in the playoffs.

Expected to form part of a powerhouse grouping of first-basemen-slash-DHs that included Edwin Encarnacion and Justin Smoak, Colabello got off to a terrible start, getting just two hits in 10 games in April, hitting .069/.156/.069 before his season truly went off the rails.

On April 22, it was announced that Colabello had been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. I think that most people want to believe Colabello’s protestations of innocence but you would have to think that the positive test and the difficulty he had in dealing with were a huge distraction for Colabello going forward.

Following the completion of his suspension, Colabello finished the season in the minors, putting together a .185/.254/.293 slash line with five home runs in 45 games between five games in New Hampshire and 40 in Buffalo.

Contract Status

Colabello is still on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster but his final option year was used in 2016. The Blue Jays may make a decision on his status over the offseason but a lot of that will depend on how thin the ranks at 1B are in spring training.

Emily Says

Colabello had a breakout season in 2015, and I was really excited to see what he could do this year. Unfortunately, he only played in 10 games in April before being suspended for testing positive for PEDs.

He collected two hits (both singles) in 29 at-bats for an average of .069, and as a result was already seeing a reduced amount of playing time at first base prior to his suspension. He walked twice, struck out nine times and had 1 RBI.

After his suspension ended in July, he was placed in AAA Buffalo which is where he remained for the rest of the season. He hit .180 with five home runs over 40 games with the Bisons.

Regular Season Grades

Jay: F
Emily: F