Padres' unexpected deadline target creates more questions than answers

The San Diego Padres need another piece to their pitching staff — whether it be a starter, a reliever, an under-the-radar guy, or an All-Star. We are still not sure what direction the club will go in their next pursuit of a pitcher, but we know that they need someone.

They took a chance on signing Lucas Giolito last month to a one-year deal, which is working out through his first two starts as a Friar. So why not have one more go at rolling the dice? Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela has put together a resurgent season, making him a top trade target for buyers ahead of the deadline.

Are the Padres crazy enough to consider going after the 31-year-old? They have seen his entire career in the NL West, which tells us they have all the answers on whether he is worth trading for, or passing up.

Is Antonio Senzatela's 2026 surge enough for Padres fans to want to trade for him?

With a career ERA above 5.00, Senzatela hasn't necessarily been the symbol of success at the major league level. Still, he's found a way to stick with the Rockies for 10 seasons. Senzatela recently made the switch to the bullpen, and it has paid off.

He throws hard. He has great stuff. It was just a matter of two things for him to turn the corner: Sequencing and not over-tipping his hand.

This season, Senzatela has been a blessing for the Rockies. He has a 2.0 bWAR, a 1.13 ERA, and 0.781 WHIP through his first 15 appearances. He's cut way down on his fastball usage, and has paired that evenly with his cutter — a pitch he almost never threw before. That strong one-two combination has made that looping curveball even deadlier. No one has a hit off his curve this season through 40 pitches, mainly thanks to batters having no clue when he will actually throw it.

He's reworked his sequencing to near-perfection, and now that he doesn't have to see the opposition more than one time through the lineup, he can let loose a bit more than if he was starting. That's clearly working out for him.

Senzatela also has some pretty nice career numbers against the Padres. He owns a 3.48 ERA across 103.1 innings against San Diego, including a career 1.351 WHIP at Petco Park — his fifth best mark among all MLB stadiums.

So, are you convinced that the Padres should trade for Antonio Senzatela? He looks like a completely different asset on the mound than he has over the last decade. His performance in 2026 is enough to keep him on San Diego's radar as either a starter or reliever — whichever the team needs more.

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