Rockies Reliever Could Be 'Hot Commodity' at Trade Deadline

A new name could emerge on the trade market.

May 16, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) and Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman (15) celebrate after a win against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are already essentially buried in the standings. This will likely lead to them being sellers at the trade deadline when that time eventually comes.

The Rockies are 18-28 and sit 10 games back in the National League West and 9 1/2 back in the wild card race. They have the worst record in the National League and are already essentially buried in the standings.

However, unlike previous years, there is somebody on their roster that could make for a very interesting trade chip. Right-hander Antonio Senzatela is having one of the best years of his career, and Bob Nightengale of USA Today believes he could be an interesting candidate to be moved.

Rockies may have interesting trade candidate

May 16, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

"Rival executives say that one of the hottest commodities at the trade deadline will be Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela," Nightengale wrote.

"Senzatela, pitching in relief for the first time in his career, is thriving since the conversion. He’s 3-0 with a 1.32 ERA and a 0.768 WHIP. He’s in the final year of his five-year, $50.5 million contract, and should bring a nice trade return for the Rockies."

Senzatela has been a starter for the vast majority of his career. He struggled as a starter last year, going 4-15 with a 6.65 ERA over 130 innings pitched.

However, things appear to be clicking for him as a reliever, which is a good sign for the Rockies, because that means that they can get a strong return for him at the trade deadline and actually set themselves up for the future.

Rental relievers come in high demand. Senzatela is a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, so teams will likely show a lot of interest in him and potentially even be willing to sacrifice some top prospects to get a deal done.

The Rockies have no realistic hope of making it to the postseason anytime soon, so it makes sense for them to shop Senzatela and see if they get some big offers for him. They need to focus on the future, and this could be the best way for them to capitalize on one of their top asset's trade value.

It will be interesting to see what the Rockies can get for him and if they will ultimately decide to trade him at the deadline. A contender will likely be willing to overpay for him.