Biography
Antonio Senzatela Rondón (born January 21, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2017.
Career
Minor leagues
The Colorado Rockies signed Senzatela as an amateur free agent on July 8, 2011. He made his professional debut with the Dominican Summer League Rockies in 2012.
In 2014, MiLB.com named Senzatela as one of the Rockies' Organization All-Stars after he posted a 15–2 win–loss record with a 3.11 earned run average (ERA) for the Asheville Tourists of the Single–A South Atlantic League, helping the team to win the league championship. Prior to the 2015 season, he was named by MLB.com as the Rockies' 11th best prospect. The Rockies added Senzatela to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season. In 2016, Senzatela pitched for the Hartford Yard Goats of the Double–A Eastern League.
Major leagues
2017
Senzatela made the Rockies' Opening Day roster in 2017 and he made his major league debut on April 6. Senzatela had a 3–1 win–loss record and a 2.81 ERA in five starts in April, and was named the National League's Rookie of the Month. After pitching to a 9–3 record and a 4.68 ERA in 88⅓ innings (15 starts), Senzatela was shifted to a relief pitcher in order to monitor his innings, due to him missing most of the 2016 baseball season due to various injuries. Senzatela finished the season with a 10–5 record in 36 games, 20 starts.
2018
Senzatela began the 2018 season as a relief pitcher for the Rockies. After 10 appearances, he was sent down to the Triple–A Colorado Springs Sky Sox. He was placed on the disabled list on July 12 with a blister injury. He finished the season with a 6–6 record in 23 games (13 starts).
2019
The following season, Senzatela won 11 games with a career worst 6.71 ERA in 25 starts. He struck out 76 batters in 124+2⁄3 innings.
2020
In 2020, Senzatela was 5–3 with a 3.44 ERA, and had the lowest strikeouts per nine innings ratio of all qualified NL pitchers (5.0).
2021
In 2021, he set career highs in starts (28), innings pitched (156+2⁄3) and strikeouts (105), despite posting a record of 4–10 with a 4.42 ERA. Following the season, the Rockies signed Senzatela to a five-year contract extension worth $50.5 million.
2022
On April 23, 2022, in a game against the Detroit Tigers, Senzatela allowed Miguel Cabrera's 3,000th hit. The play was a single into right field and the Rockies would eventually lose 13–0. On August 18, Senzatela left his start against the Cardinals with a left knee sprain. The next day, an MRI revealed a torn ACL which ended Senzatela's 2022 season. He finished with a record of 3–7 with a 5.07 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 92+1⁄3 innings pitched.
2023
Senzatela made his season debut on May 5, 2023, against the New York Mets. In the start, he allowed one run on a Brandon Nimmo solo shot, which ended being the decider in a 1–0 loss. In his next start on May 10, Senzatela went 2+2⁄3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits, including a two–run homer off the bat of Andrew McCutchen. He was removed from the appearance partway through the third inning with an undisclosed injury, which was later described as right forearm tightness. Two days later, he was diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his right elbow. He was placed on the 60–day injured list on June 11. On July 14, it was announced that Senzatela would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season.
2024
On September 16, 2024, Senzatela was activated from the injured list to make his return from surgery.
Senzatela made his season debut on September 16, 2024, allowing four hits , two earned runs and two strikeouts in three innings.
Scouting report
Senzatela throws from a high three quarters release, relying on a 92–95 miles per hour (148–153 km/h) fastball, an 82 miles per hour (132 km/h) slider with cutting movement, and a changeup.
Personal life
Senzatela's mother, Nidya, died from stomach cancer in 2016. He is married.