Blue Jays’ Colabello Hit With 80-Game Suspension

Blue Jays first baseman Chris Colabello, who rose from Independent Leagues Player of the Year in 2011 to reach the majors at age 29 and have a breakout year in 2015, was suspended Friday for 80 games for using a performance-enhancing drug.

Colabello, 33, tested positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, Major League Baseball announced.

After a tremendous 2015 in Toronto—.321/.367/.520 with 15 homers—Colabello has struggled in 2016. He has just two hits in 29 at-bats with nine strikeouts. His average on balls in play is .100; it was .411 in 2015.

Colabello’s rise to the majors was the ultimate feel-good story. He was the International League MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2013, but that was only after he spent seven years in the independent leagues after going undrafted out of Assumption (Mass.) College. He hit over .300 in all seven years with the Worcester Tornadoes before hooking on with the Twins in 2012 and getting to the majors in 2013.

After two seasons with the Twins, he signed with Toronto and went on to surprising success last season.

In a statement, Colabello said he got a call from the Players Association on March 13 telling him of the positive test on March 13 with a banned substance found in his urine.

“I have spent every waking moment since that day trying to find an answer as to why or how?” Colabello said. “The only thing I know is that I would never compromise the integrity of the game of baseball . . . I am saddened more for the impact this will have on my teammates, the organization and the fans of the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I hope that before anyone passes judgment on me, they can take a look at the man that I am and everything that I have done to get to where I am in my career.”

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins also issued the following statement:

“This is obviously an unfortunate situation that we are in with Chris. We believe in him as a person and player. We also fully endorse the (MLB) drug testing policy.”

“Chris has overcome a great deal in his career and has been a key contributor to this team. While we are certainly disappointed with today’s news, we’re confident he’ll return ready to compete and will have taken the steps needed to ensure that this does not happen again.”