One of the pitching pillars of Colorado’s last playoff team is headed to Milwaukee.
The Rockies traded right-hander Antonio Senzatela to the Brewers just minutes ahead of the deadline on Monday, sending the reliever to the National League Central leaders in exchange for two prospects: southpaw reliever Mark Manfredi and infielder Juan Martinez.
Senzatela was a key pitcher on the Rockies’ playoff teams in 2017 and ’18, and has appeared in 212 games for Colorado. He underwent and reinvented himself this season as a reliever with a 3.61 ERA in 34 games. Colorado originally signed Senzatela as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela.
“It’s been fun,” Senzatela said. “I came into this organization as a kid — 15 years total, five in the minors, 10 in the big leagues. It’s been a long ride.
“I really feel proud of myself (for my season this year). This is a good year after (surgery and three rough seasons) and being sent to the bullpen.”
Manfredi and Martinez are both unranked within the Brewers’ Top 30 prospects, . Manfredi, a 9th round pick in 2023 out of the University of Dayton, has a 3.35 ERA this season in 34 games across Double-A and Triple-A. The 26-year-old 6-foot-4 southpaw has a lot of swing-and-miss in his arsenal, with a 13.4 K rate this season and 11.8 on his career.
“Manfredi is also a guy who has a chance to be here relatively soon,” Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said. “We’ve done a job on (Brennan Bernardino) this year. He’s our only left-hander out there. So at least we have another option now … we think (Manfredi) can factor into our bullpen from the left side.”
Martinez, a 19-year-old prospect from Venezuela, plays second base, third and shortstop. He slashed .356/.476/.599 in 40 games for the Arizona Complex League Brewers this season before being promoted to Low-A.
Despite his strong season, Senzatela’s market value diminished recently, as the right-hander posted a 8.10 ERA in four second-half appearances. But he’s been good all season away from Coors Field, with a 2.57 ERA in 18 road games.
As his Colorado career comes to a close, Senzatela is only one of four Rockies pitchers to throw in at least 10 seasons for the club, along with Aaron Cook, Kyle Freeland and Germán Márquez. Senzatela ranks seventh in Colorado history innings pitched (874 1/3), 8th in games started (145), 10th in wins (52) and 10th in strikeouts (577).
Senzatela shared an emotional hug with Freeland, his longtime teammate, after the southpaw’s first career complete game on Sunday against the Royals at Coors Field. The pitchers debuted on consecutive days in 2017, with Senzatela’s first start coming on April 6, 2017, on the road against the Brewers in what will now be his home park, American Family Field.
“Me and him grew in this game together, broke into the league together, helped this team get to the playoffs a couple times — he and his family mean a ton to me,” Freeland said. “We’ve been together all the way from Low-A to now. I’m going to miss him.
“You can tell the amount of work (Senzatela) put in this offseason, changing things up and finding help to get him back to the pitcher that he wants to be. Now, he gets to go do it with some very meaningful baseball ahead.”
With the trade — and the subsequent deal that sent reliever Victor Vodnik to the Marlins in exchange for Connor Norby and minor-league starter Aiden May — the Rockies’ 40-man roster now stands at 38 players.
