Any missing nearly two full seasons, Antonio Senzatela came back with a vengeance in Spring Training for the Colorado Rockies to set a Spring Training franchise record for the lowest earned run average (min. 21 innings).

In Friday’s 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, the right-hander allowed two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. He also struck out six batters and allowed just one walk alongside one home run. The outing actually raised his ERA to 1.21, an impressive club record nonetheless. Following his final start of the Spring, Senzatela allowed three runs on 16 hits in 22 1/3 innings, wracking up 19 strikeouts against four walks.

It’s never wise to put too much stock into Spring Training statistics, but in Senzatela’s case, it is a promising sign of what the Rockies hope to see from the 30-year-old in 2025. Signed by the Rockies as an international free agent in 2011, Senzatela effectively moved his way up the system, making his debut with the big league club in 2017, playing a major role with a rotation that made the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

He dealt with various injuries in 2018, being limited to just 90 big-league innings before struggling mightily in 2019 to the tune of a 6.72 ERA in 25 games. Senzatela has always been a work in progress as truly only had a fastball when he reached the big leagues. He had continuously worked to develop his secondary pitchers and 2020 served as a turning point for him.

In 12 starts during the 60-game-shortened season, Senzatela posted a 3.44 ERA in 73 1/3 innings. Over the course of a full season in 2021, despite the 4-10 record Senzatela posted a 4.42 ERA in 156 2/3 innings over 28 starts. Not typically a strikeout pitcher, he tallied 105 punchouts against a career-low 4.8% walk rate to be one of the best pitchers for the Rockies that season. His efforts led the Rockies to sign him to a five-year extension through the 2026 season with a team option for 2027.

However, since signing that extension, Senzatela has been limited to just 112 innings over 24 starts in the last three seasons with a 5.21 ERA. He suffered a torn ACL after 19 starts in 2022 and made just two appearances in 2023 before requiring Tommy John surgery. He returned late in 2024 and struggled as he tried to shake off the rust of being out of action for so long.

Fully healthy and ready to compete, Senzatela is aiming to rewrite the script and prove he can still be a competitive and effective big-league pitcher. Senzatela has been a staple in the rotation since 2017 alongside Kyle Freeland and German Marquez and the team hopes he can do the same in 2025. His results in Spring Training are a promising step forward as his pitch-to-contact approach is a profile the Rockies deem valuable, especially at Coors Field. Command has been an issue for him in the past, but he has looked like his 2021 self in Cactus League play, something that will hopefully translate to the regular season.