The Rockies Best Player is a Surprise - And an Obvious Trade Candidate

It’s traditionally a challenge for relief pitchers to accrue more value than their teammates. They pitch fewer innings than starters. They don’t swing a bat, or get many chances to excel as fielders.

Antonio Senzatela stands as an exception to the rule. In his first season as a reliever at age 31, after nine seasons in the Colorado Rockies‘ rotation (2017-25), he is the team’s best player by Baseball Reference’s version of Wins Above Replacement (2.0). According to FanGraphs, Senzatela is second on the team to outfielder Mickey Moniak.

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The 2026 season has seen Senzatela transition from anonymous starter to dominant reliever - and in the process become one of baseball’s top trade candidates ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline.

In 15 relief appearances, Senzatela is 4-0 with three saves. The right-hander pitched 32 innings, allowed only 17 hits and eight walks, while striking out 26.

In a league where relievers are often measured by their save total as a proxy for dominance, Senzatela doesn’t even lead his own team in that category. But his uptick in fastball velocity (96.9 mph, per Statcast), plus his increased reliance on a sinker and cutter - in addition to his ability to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen - makes him instantly attractive to any contending team.

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It doesn’t make Senzatela a particularly useful pitcher on the Rockies, who are 20-35 through May 25, the worst record in MLB. Their 0.0 percent playoff odds (per FanGraphs) are less a rounding error than a reflection on their lot as a rebuilding team in a top-heavy division. The Rockies can finish last in the NL West just as well without Senzatela than with him.

Critically, Senzatela is under contract through the end of this season at $12 million, plus a $14 million team option for 2027. He’s a year shy of free agency, as well as a year shy of accruing 10-and-5 rights (10 years in MLB, five with one team) that allow him to block a trade.

The trade deadline is still two months away, but Senzatela has already become a name to watch.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 4:47 PM.