Colorado Rockies game thread no. 4: Antonio Senzatela vs. Daniel Mengden

After a day off on Monday, the Rockies are back in action today with Antonio Senzatela making his 2020 debut by taking on Oakland. Entering his fourth year in the majors, the righty has improved his changeup and added a curve ball to his arsenal this season. The 25-year-old went 11-11 last year with a 6.71 ERA and 1.749 WHIP. He struggled with inconsistency and injuries in 2020, which led him to be demoted to Triple-A for over a month in July and August. This year, he’s lost 15 pounds and impressed coaches in spring training and Summer Camp, including pitching coach Steve Foster, who told the Denver Post, “The greatest offseason strides of all the guys (in the rotation) is Antonio Senzatela. It was the things done behind the scenes last year at the end of the season, that he stuck with through the offseason and came into spring training with. His velocity is up. His breaking pitches are sharper.”

The Rockies, who are coming off a 2-1 series win against the Rangers, will try to tee off against Oakland right-hander Daniel Mengden, who’s never pitched against Colorado going into his fifth season in the league. Oakland’s A.J. Puk was supposed to be in the rotation, but suffered a shoulder strain, which meant moving Mengden from the bullpen to the rotation. The A’s are 3-1 on the season after winning a four-game series at RingCentral Coliseum against the Angles.

The two games in Oakland are part of a four-game season series between the Rockies and A’s. Oakland will come to Coors Field for the final two games on Sept. 15 and 16.

Start Time: 7:40 p.m. MT

TV: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, MLB.tv

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

Lineups: