Colorado Rockies news and links for Monday, September 9th, 2024
Right after the end of the 2021 season, the Colorado Rockies inked then 27-year-old right-handed pitcher Antonio Senzatela to a $50.5 million contract extension through the end of the 2026 season with a club option for 2027.
Though considered somewhat of an overpay, the extension made sense at the time. Though not dazzling, the young Senzatela had developed into a reliable back-of-rotation starter for the always pitching-needy Rockies. A true ground ball specialist, Senzatela gave up a lot of contact but never gave up a deal breaking amount of runs. He was also coming off a strong 2021 campaign in which he posted a solid enough 4.42 ERA with a 3.61 FIP over 28 starts.
Senzatela carried a 5.07 ERA through his first 19 starts of the 2022 season before disaster struck. He tore his ACL running towards first base on a defensive play and ended his season.
It wasn’t an ideal start to his extension, but following his surgery the optimistic Senzatela was prepared to return early in the 2023 campaign. He looked healthy and confident when he took to the mound for his first start of the year on May 5th, working five innings and giving up just one earned run on three hits.
Disaster struck yet again in his following start, where he lasted just 2 2⁄3 innings before being removed with evident discomfort in his throwing arm. Initially diagnosed as a UCL sprain, Senzatela underwent platelet-rich plasma injections and threw a few “encouraging” bullpen sessions. However, as he continued to try and gear back up to start, his elbow just wasn’t responding.
The worst was confirmed, and Senzatela would undergo Tommy John surgery. Like his teammate Germán Márquez, Senzatela would lose almost two full seasons of his prime to surgery and recovery.
Senzatela may still pitch for the Rockies in 2024 with a few weeks left in the regular season.
He began a rehab assignment back in August, making two starts with the High-A Spokane Indians and has since made three more rehab starts with the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats. In 17 minor league innings he has an ERA of 5.29 with 18 strikeouts and four walks. He looks healthy, is able to repeat his delivery, and his fastball velocity is holding steady in the mid-to-high 90s.
If Antonio Senzatela is able to return to the Rockies this season, it would represent a triumphant return for the Venezuelan-born pitcher from the hardships he has endured over the last three seasons.
Unfortunately, the next hardship might be just around the corner as the Rockies will need to figure out where Senzatela fits for the future of the organization.
The Rockies rotation in 2024 is mostly comprised of pitchers that are 29-years-old or older, and Senzatela is nearing age 30 himself. Several members of this current rotation have their futures with the Rockies in question with the possibility of being traded this offseason as younger prospects in the farm system are knocking at the door for their debuts.
Further complicating matters is that Senzatela—while a solid pitcher in his own right—is emblematic of a problem the Rockies pitching staff has faced over the last several seasons.
The Colorado Rockies have carried the worst team strikeout percentage in all of Major League Baseball in each of their last three seasons—well below 20%—as well as the worst K/9 rate in both 2023 and 2024.
Senzatela simply isn’t a strikeout pitcher. He’s never mustered a strikeout rate above 20% in his career, with his highest percentage coming in his 2017 rookie season at 18.1%. He’s gotten over the 14% mark just once since 2018. His K/9 numbers throughout his career are equally low, with a career high 6.9 in 2018. Prior to his injury in 2022 he had a K/9 rate of just 5.3 in 92 1⁄3 innings.
The trade off for the low strikeout numbers is that Senzatela operates as a pure pitch-to-contact pitcher that emphasizes in ground balls. He doesn’t strike out batters, but also doesn’t give up many home runs or walks.
The Rockies—for their part—have recognized a need for change in their pitching development. Many of their top prospects such as Chase Dollander (no. 1 PuRP) and Sean Sullivan (no. 7 PuRP) excel at the punchout. Dollander has a whopping 14.3 K/9 rate this season while Sullivan’s sits at 10.9 thus far.
Senzatela is capable of striking out batters, and has done so effectively during his rehab stint. However, it’s unclear if his pitching style at the big league level will change and if his ability to strike out batters on rehab will carry over to big league competition.
Antonio Senzatela making his return—either this season or the next—will be something to celebrate. However, like several of his teammates his future will remain in question after the comeback is complete.
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On the Farm
Triple-A: Tacoma Rainiers 13, Albuquerque Isotopes 3
Zac Veen (no. 4 PuRP) slugged his fifth Triple-A home run in this blowout as he continues to adjust to the level of competition. Meanwhile, Carson Palmquist (no. 10 PuRP) was pulled after just two innings and 45 pitches. This could be something to watch as the Rockies shuffle their big league roation in September.
Double-A: Altoona Curve 9, Hartford Yard Goats 5
Three errors by the Yard Goats defense proved to be a major swing point as they lost to Altoona despite having 14 hits. Not helping things was that just three of those hits were for extra bases. Bladimir Restituyo and Braiden Ward both hit doubles while Zach Kokoska hit a home run. Antonio Senzatela struck out five in his third rehab start with the Yard Goats, but also gave up five earned runs on five hits.
High-A: Spokane Indians 9, Everett AquaSox 2
The Indians ended their regular season on a high note with an offensive showcase backed by solid pitching. Andy Perez, Dyan Jorge (no. 18 PuRP), Kyle Karros (no. 14 PuRP), and Charlie Condon (no. 2 PuRP) all had multi-hit games, while both Perez and Condon drove in multiple runs.
Low-A: San Jose Giants 11, Fresno Grizzlies 5
A loss is a sad way for the Grizzlies’ strong season to end as they also missed the playoffs despite a winning record. The key standout in the Grizzlies’ season finale was Felix Tena, who went 3-for-4 with two RsBI and a walk.
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Chase Dollander, Rockies’ top pitching prospect, aiming to be a bona fide ace | Denver Post ($)
Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post explores the development of top pitching prospect Chase Dollander this season.
“I probably didn’t expect him to make these kind of strides this quickly,” Rockies farm director Chris Forbes said. “But I’ve always known that we are building an ace here. We aren’t building a No. 5 pitcher. We are truly building a top-of-the-rotation guy.”
5 Colorado Rockies pitching prospects who may determine team’s future | Denver Post ($)
Also from Saunders is a quick dive into five Rockies pitching prospects who may help turn the tide of the floundering organization. Chase Dollander obviously sits at the top, followed by Carson Palmquist, Gabriel Hughes, Sean Sullivan, and new arrival Brody Brecht.
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