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.

Antonio Senzatela
Senzatela with the Colorado Rockies in 2017
Colorado Rockies – No. 49
Pitcher
Born: (1995-01-21) January 21, 1995 (age 27) Valencia, Venezuela
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 6, 2017, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics (through 2022 season)
Win–loss record	39–42
Earned run average	4.88
Strikeouts	447
Teams
Colorado Rockies (2017–present)
Career highlights and awards
NL Rookie of the Month (April 2017)

Career

Minor leagues

The Colorado Rockies signed Senzatela as an amateur free agent[1] and he began playing with the Dominican Summer League Rockies in 2012.

In 2014, MiLB.com named Senzatela as one of the Rockies' Organization All-Stars[2] after he posted a 15–2 win–loss record with a 3.11 earned run average (ERA) for the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League, helping the team to win the league championship.[3]

Prior to the 2015 season, he was named by MLB.com as the Rockies' 11th best prospect.[4] The Rockies added Senzatela to their 40-man roster after the 2015 season.[5]

In 2016, Senzatela pitched for the Hartford Yard Goats of the Class AA Eastern League.

Major leagues

2017

Senzatela made the Rockies' Opening Day roster in 2017[6] and he made his major league debut on April 6.[7] 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.[8] 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 Colorado Springs. He was placed on the disabled list on July 12 with a blister injury.[9] 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).[10]

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.[11]

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. The Rockies would eventually lose 13–0.[12] On August 18th, 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.[13]

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.[14]

Personal life

Senzatela's mother, Nidya, died from stomach cancer in 2016. He is married.[15]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antonio Senzatela.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
• Antonio senzatela on Twitter