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