The Colorado Rockies and right-hander Antonio Senzatela agreed to a five-year extension plus a team option for a sixth season, the team announced Tuesday.
The extension is worth $50.5 million, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Prior to the extension, Senzatela was slated to be arbitration-eligible for two more seasons before hitting free agency after the 2023 campaign. Now, he'll be under contract through at least 2026.
The 26-year-old has played parts of five MLB seasons, all with the Rockies. He's coming off a year where he went 4-10 with a 4.42 ERA (3.61 FIP), 1.34 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts over 28 starts (156 2/3 innings).
Senzatela showed flashes of brilliance this season. He pitched eight scoreless innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks at hitter-friendly Coors Field in his second start of the year April 7. Perhaps more impressively, he limited the imposing Los Angeles Dodgers offense to just two hits over seven shutout frames on the road at the end of August.
With Senzatela signed long term, the Rockies have the bulk of their starting pitching staff lined up for 2022 with ace German Marquez, lefty Kyle Freeland, and currently injured southpaw Austin Gomber likely to crack the Opening Day rotation.
Longtime Rockies right-hander Jon Gray is a free agent this winter, but he's expressed a desire to stay in Colorado.
