Antonio Senzatela

From BR Bullpen

Antonio Senzatela Rondon

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 1", Weight 245 lb.

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Biographical Information[edit]

Antonio Senzatela was the Pitcher of the Year in the California League in 2015 when he went 9-9, 2.51 for the Modesto Nuts while striking 143 batters in 154 innings in a league very favorable to hitters. That followed a 2014 season during which he had gone 15-2, 3.12 for the Asheville Tourists in the South Atlantic League. However, he then experienced arm problems in 2016 and was limited to 7 starts for the Hartford Yard Goats of the Eastern League, going 4-1, 1.82. He had signed with the Colorado Rockies out of his native Venezuela on July 8, 2011 before beginning his pro career with the DSL Rockies in 2012 at age 17.

In spite of his limited experience above Class A, Antonio made the Rockies' opening day roster in 2017 and got the ball to make his debut on April 6th, starting against the Milwaukee Brewers. He did very well, giving up no runs on 2 hits in 5 innings, but ended up with a no-decision. He registered his first big league win in his next start, on April 11th, when he pitched 7 innings in a 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres, after giving up a homer to Manuel Margot to lead off the game. After the game, he said that he would be taking the game ball to his mother's grave in Venezuela, paying tribute to her after she had passed away from cancer the previous July. He went 3-1, 2.81 in April to be named the National League's Rookie of the Month. On Mother's Day, May 14th, he notched his 6th win of the year, tying him for the major league lead, when he defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 9-6. He continued to pitch well, with another great start on May 26th, with 8 scoreless innings in a 10-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. At that point, he was 7-1 for the team with the best record in the NL. However, he began to struggle after that blazing start. He won 2 of his next 4 starts, but allowed 15 runs in 21 1/3 innings, then was beaten up for 9 runs in 5 innings in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 22nd, increasing his ERA to 4.79. With the return of Jon Gray from the disabled list, he was moved to the bullpen and did alright, with one run allowed over 5 innings in 3 outings, but on July 8th, just before the All-Star break, he was sent down to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes so he could take a breather from the major league grind and get back in top form for a likely return later in the season. He ended up making 20 starts in 36 appearances for the Rockies, going 10-5, 4.68 and logging 134 2/3 innings with102 strikeouts.

In 2018, he made 13 starts in 23 appearances and finished at 6-6, 4.38. Given that he was pitching in Coors Field, his ERA+ was 108, just as it had been in his rookie season (scoring was down across baseball that year). The Rockies made it to the postseason as they had done the year before, but this time they won the Wild Card Game which gave Antonio a chance to start Game 1 of the Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on October 4th. He did well, allowing just 2 runs on 3 hits in 5 innings and ended up with a no-decision as Milwaukee won the game, 3-2, on its way to sweeping the series.

His career went on a bit of a roller coaster after those first two seasons. In 2019, his ERA ballooned to 6.71 in 25 starts covering 124 2/3 innings, and he gave up 161 hits, or a .313 batting average against. Yet, he still managed to post a record of 11-11 for a team that finished 20 games below .500. He then pitched very well during the pandemic-shortened season, although it went largely under the radar given the Rockies were not at all competitive. He went 5-3 in 12 starts, with an ERA of 3.44 in 73 1/3 innings. His ERA+ was an excellent 151 - easily the best figure of his career. On September 15th, he pitched the first complete game of his career - without taking advantage of doubleheaders consisting of two seven-inning games. He faced the Oakland Athletics that day and limited them to 1 run on 6 hits in 9 innings, earning a 3-1 win. But he went into a bit of a tailspin after that, with records that were badly on the losing side in both 2021 and 2022, finishing at 4-10 and 3-7 respectively. His 4.42 ERA was actually good for an ERA+ of 105 the first year, but he was pitching in front of a mediocre team that gave him a worse record than he would have deserved. The second year, though, his record in 19 starts reflected the fact that he had not pitched well, his ERA being at 5.07.

He then barely pitched in both 2023 and 2024, as various injuries limited him to just 5 starts over that two-year span. He had to undergo both knee and elbow surgeries during that time. He went 0-2 and was largely a forgotten man, a rare holdover from the days the Rockies were actually a competitive team, but one whose appearances were few and far between. He was finally healthy in 2025 and in his first start of the year, against the Tampa Bay Rays at their temporary home of George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 29th, he put up a pitching line the likes of which had hardly ever been seen in major league history. In 4 1/3 innings, he gave up 9 hits, did not strike out anyone, walked two batters, and yet did not give up any runs. His fielders helped him, including OF Nick Martini gunning down Jonathan Aranda at home. The Rockies ended up as 2-1 winners, although he did not feature in the decision.

Notable Achievements[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

  • Thomas Harding: "We haven't seen a pitching line like this in 103 years", mlb.com, March 29, 2025. [1]

Related Sites[edit]

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