SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Antonio Senzatela doesn¡¯t have to look at his Cactus League statistics -- which happen to be the best of his career -- to feel good about Spring Training. Looking around the Rockies¡¯ Salt River Fields at Talking Stick clubhouse at healthy rotation mates is enough.
This time last spring, Senzatela and fellow veteran righty Germ¨¢n M¨¢rquez knew that when camp broke, they would still be in town mending from 2023 Tommy John surgeries. While they were recovering, lefty Kyle Freeland joined them in mid-April with a left elbow strain. With the Rockies' three starters who had worked postseason games out, the first half was a mess, and a 101-loss season was in motion.
Now?
"We¡¯re seeing each other in Spring Training and we¡¯re just like, ¡®Everybody¡¯s good? ¡ Yeah, everybody¡¯s good,¡¯ so we just need to continue being healthy,¡± Senzatela said. ¡°Being out of the game for almost three years was hard. Being outside and having fun, enjoying the day, seeing the guys make plays, is really fun and I want to be a part of that.¡±
Senzatela has been cooped up inside since sustaining a left ACL injury in 2022, which sparked a chain reaction that led indirectly to the elbow issue. He has made just five regular-season starts in the interim. But beyond being good health-wise, Senzatela has been measurably good in the Cactus League.
In 5 2/3 innings of Friday afternoon¡¯s 4-3 Rockies victory over the Angels, Senzatela limited the Angels to two runs on five hits -- with Jo Adell¡¯s third-inning solo homer one of few damaging swings against him. Senzatela¡¯s modus operandi is forcing ground balls, but he struck out six against the Angels.
Senzatela has a 1.21 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 22 1/3 innings over six Cactus League outings (four starts). His delivery and location are sharp.
"I liked a couple of curveballs down below the strike zone that he got the left-handed hitters to chase, a couple of good sliders to right-handed hitters and some changeups there late in the game,¡± Rockies manager Bud Black said. ¡°He¡¯s doing fine. I feel good about where he is.¡±
Veen wins Abby Greer Award
Rockies 2020 top MLB Draft choice Zac Veen, an outfielder and the team¡¯s No. 8 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was named the winner of the Abby Greer Award for the Rockies¡¯ Spring Training most valuable player.
"He¡¯s had a good spring -- pretty consistent all spring,¡± Black said. ¡°He drove the ball, hit some doubles and a couple of home runs, took some walks and played pretty steady defense.¡±
Veen, still with an opportunity to grab an Opening Day roster spot and the expected semi-regular starts that would come with it, walked as a pinch-hitter, stole his eighth base of the spring and scored a run. Veen is pushing the speed game. On Thursday against the Rangers, the left-handed-hitting Veen pushed a bunt for a hit.
"I¡¯ve been playing very free-flowing baseball recently and having a ton of fun doing it,¡± Veen said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a really good group around me.¡±
Home run relief
Left-handed-hitting reserve outfielder Sam Hilliard broke from his spring struggles on Thursday and powered a home run to dead center against the Rangers. He has generally struggled, with an .071 batting average and 24 strikeouts (one Friday) in 42 at-bats.
"I¡¯ve been working extremely hard, grinding,¡± said Hilliard, who has struggled in past springs. "This is probably the worst stretch of baseball in my life. Thank goodness it¡¯s Spring Training. To see it connect off the bat like that gives me confidence. Sometimes that¡¯s all a hitter needs, one barrel to get going.¡±
Hilliard¡¯s speed and ability to handle Coors Field are his key attributes as he competes to hold his roster spot.
Ninth-inning stuff
The Rockies believe rookie righty Seth Halvorsen could be a successful closer now, in fact, if he hones his secondary pitches. Halvorsen fanned two of the three batters he faced in the top of the ninth on Friday.
"We like the stuff, for sure,¡± Black said. ¡°He¡¯s got to mix pitches. He just can¡¯t rely on the heavy fastball. He¡¯s got a good sinker and a good changeup. He¡¯s going to have to pitch a little.¡±
Buildup
The only health blip for the starting rotation this spring has been the left shoulder soreness that has limited Austin Gomber to two innings in one Cactus League game. Gomber has thrown on the Minor League side, and will start Saturday at Mesa, Ariz., against the Cubs. Gomber, who is expected to begin the season on the injured list and shoot for an April 8 regular-season debut against the Athletics at Coors Field, will be limited to 60-65 pitches, Black said.
The Rockies plan on a four-man rotation until Gomber is ready.