DENVER -- Rockies right-hander
“It’s really important to me to put the batters away in less pitches,” said Senzatela, who threw 86 pitches. “It’s a huge part of the game right now, because I can limit the runners on and the damage. I feel pretty good with that.”\n\nOffensively,
A starting rotation that fueled postseason appearances in 2017 and ’18 -- but faltered last year and was maligned coming into this one -- is giving new hope in this condensed schedule.\n\nThe four starters the Rockies have used while building a 6-2 start have a sparkling 2.00 ERA. A fifth starter, righty
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According to MLB Quality of Pitch, which uses Statcast-measured data for its formulas, Senzatela’s four-seam fastball ranked in the top 22% in vertical movement, the top 26% in location and the top 18% in overall quality among MLB pitchers.\n\nBut he had work to do to get the fastball to play off his other pitches.\n\nLast September, Senzatela incorporated his curve. During the offseason, he simplified his delivery and dropped 15 pounds. He also incorporated advanced information to improve his breaking pitches. And a finger nerve issue that caused discomfort throwing the changeup has resolved itself.\n\n“It’s all come together the first two starts,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “The trick is to continue it, be consistent and give us a chance to win every time.”
Interestingly, Senzatela didn’t vary much from the fastball and slider -- pitches that have helped him to a 27-22 record in his first three seasons (2017-19) but also became so predictable that his ERA ballooned to 6.71 last year. On Sunday, he threw 45 four-seamers and 24 sliders.\n\nBut Senzatela’s success Sunday also was attributable to how he used his curveball. He threw nine curveballs. One was taken for a strike, and five -- including put-away pitches to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Trent Grisham in the sixth inning -- were swinging strikes.\n\nThe curve got him into trouble once. With Jake Cronenworth on third with two outs in that sixth inning, Senzatela thought he had Manny Machado set up for a curve with the count 1-2. But Machado anticipated it and drove a run-scoring double.\n\n“I thought the curveball was the best pitch right there, but I just left it in the middle,” Senzatela said. “He’s a good hitter, and I paid.”\n\nBut being willing to be beaten on an off-speed pitch is often the key to winning.\n\nAs an indication of the Padres being off-balance, Senzatela accumulated 16 whiffs (swings-and-misses) and 14 called strikes. Each of his four pitches -- he also used a changeup -- built the count in each category.
Adaptability is a theme throughout the rotation.\n\nWhile striking out eight at Oakland on Wednesday, No. 1 starter