Senzatela open to any role with Rox -- but rotation spot could be in reach

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Whether it was during his two innings in the Rockies’ 9-3 win over the Padres on Friday night, or in the bullpen for 10-15 extra pitches after he left the game, right-hander Antonio Senzatela’s night went exactly the same. He was not touched.

In the game, Senzatela breezed through a mostly regular Padres lineup on 20 pitches -- 14 strikes. He would have been finished sooner had he not used four pitches to strike out Xander Bogaerts in the second inning.

Senzatela saw little game action for champion Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic -- one tournament inning, after a three-inning stint against the Nationals in an exhibition game. Senzatela showed no rust against the Padres.

“I feel really good,” Senzatela said. “The next time I hope to throw more innings. They gave me two innings -- there was a long time that I wasn’t throwing.”

Last year, Senzatela regained health after sustaining a torn left ACL in 2022 and an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in 2023. He struggled much of the year, was moved to the bullpen at the end and finished 4-15 with a 6.65 ERA in 30 games, 23 starts.

But the Rockies asked him to expand his pitch mix during the offseason, and even left open the possibility of him reclaiming his rotation spot. Friday night, he trusted his sinker and his new sweeper. Had he pitched more in the last couple of weeks, and thrown like he did Friday, he might have put himself in the running for the rotation.

“The sweeper was good,” he said. “My sinker was working really nice, especially to the last hitter [Freddy Fermin]. I tried to throw the sinker backdoor, and I thought it was really good. If I had challenged, maybe I’d have gotten the call but I didn’t challenge.”

The ball call left the count full, but Senzatela forced a popout in foul ground.

Senzatela, 31, in his 10th year with the Rockies and at the end of a five-year, $50.5 million contract (with a 2027 club option), is accepting of whatever role the Rockies have. With extended work, that role could change.

FINAL COMPETITIONS

Here is a reading of tea leaves on Opening Day roster decisions:

• Position players: Assuming the Rockies go with young players who have performed well at the infield corners -- third baseman Kyle Karros and first baseman TJ Rumfield -- the club could be down to one roster spot for a position player (unless the team makes acquisitions before the season starts). Colorado has wanted to protect its young players, but Karros, who debuted last August, and Rumfield, who came in a trade with the Yankees and has yet to debut, have done all that was asked.

Karros and Rumfield would join shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and second baseman Willi Castro in the optimal defensive infield, with Jake McCarthy, Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck and Mickey Moniak handling the outfield and designated hitter spots.

Ryan Ritter would be a right-handed hitting reserve. If right-handed-hitting infielder-outfielder Tyler Freeman’s on-again, off-again back issues delay his regular-season participation, Edouard Julien and Troy Johnston are in line to complete the group of non-catchers.

The spot to back up catcher Hunter Goodman boils down to a competition between Braxton Fulford and non-roster invitee Brett Sullivan.

• Starting rotation: Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer has not announced a rotation order beyond Opening Day starter Kyle Freeland, but fellow lefty Jose Quintana and right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano appear set. The fifth spot remains a contest between righties Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander -- both scheduled to pitch (order to be determined) against the Tigers on Monday in the final game in Arizona.

• Bullpen: It’s conceivable that the Rockies will go with an ‘pen of all members of the 40-man roster: Senzatela, righties Juan Mejia, Jimmy Herget, Seth Halvorsen, Zach Agnos, Victor Vodnik and Jaden Hill, plus lefty Brennan Bernadino. Two veteran non-roster invitees who each had strong stretches this spring, righty John Brebbia and lefty Parker Mushinski, could provide depth at Triple-A Albuquerque.