By 2020, Cron was drifting toward the fringes of the league, a power-hitting first baseman who had bounced through four organizations in four years and was coming off a knee injury in Detroit that saw him non-tendered. When he arrived in Denver on a minor-league deal in early 2021, there was no fanfare or expectations; he was simply a low-risk veteran brought in to compete for a spot on a rebuilding roster.
In 2021, securing the starting job and silencing critics by hitting a career-high .281 with 28 home runs. Unlike his previous stops, where he was often viewed as a platoon option or a replaceable bat, Cron found a specialized rhythm in the altitude of Coors Field. He proved he could provide the steady-state middle-order production the club lacked, leading to a two-year contract extension that signaled his transition from a spring training invitee to a legitimate fixture.
At age 32, Cron earned his first All-Star selection, a feat that seemed impossible just two seasons prior. He finished the year with career-highs in hits (148) and RBIs (102), providing the kind of run-producing muscle that kept the Rockies competitive. Cron reached a declining plateau in 2023. Hampered by back injuries and a dip in overall efficiency, his production began to regress toward his career averages. With the Rockies falling out of contention and the Angels making a desperate, high-stakes push to keep Shohei Ohtani, Cron was traded back to his original team in July 2023.
Cron compiled 334 hits and 68 home runs with Colorado.
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