SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Antonio Senzatela is about to crack Colorado's starting rotation and he pitched to prove his readiness Tuesday.

The 22-year-old right-hander concluded his first Cactus League slate Tuesday in a stiff test, against a formidable Texas Rangers lineup with a designated hitter and plenty of power, by giving up three runs in five innings of work in the Rockies’ 4-3 loss at Salt River Fields. But he juggled traffic and limited damage in a way Colorado manager Bud Black hopes will translate to Coors Field.

“He has a nice self-assurance to him that will play as he moves forward,” Black said. “He pitches aggressively with the fastball. He doesn’t back down. There’s a calmness to this fella that we like.”

Black declined to confirm whether Senzatela will be on the Rockies’ opening-day roster as the fifth member of their rotation but signs point to that outcome. The Rockies lined up the rookie to start a day after lefty Kyle Freeland over the final two weeks of spring.

BOXSCORE: Rangers 4, Rockies 3

If Black tasks Senzatela with a rotation spot, he would need to pitch Sunday on an off-day, possibly in a minor-league game in Scottsdale while the Rockies are in Milwaukee, the day before the season begins.

“I missed a couple of pitches,” Senzatela said of the fifth inning, when doubles by Delino DeShields and Joey Gallo and a single from Drew Robinson at the top of the Rangers’ lineup helped score three runs. “But I kept pounding the zone.”

If Senzatela jumps directly from Double-A, where he pitched just seven games last season, to the Rockies, it would be the Rockies’ biggest pitching promotion since Eddie Butler went from Tulsa to Denver in 2014. Butler, then 23, struggled in his call-up. Senzatela turned 22 in January.

Senzatela’s first spring training ends with a 4.97 ERA over 25 1/3 innings, with 19 strikeouts and just three walks.

“This is the most important part of the game, to control emotions,” Senzatela said. “And make pitches.” Related Articles September 19, 2020 Saunders: DJ LeMahieu rocks; expanded playoffs beyond 2020 a mistake; 4 good things about Rockies

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Hits: Nolan Arenado doubled twice, in the first and fourth innings. He scored in the fourth on Mark Reynolds‘ two-run home run to left field. Arenado dove and tumbled to stop a Drew Robinson grounder in the third, then threw to first from the dirt on his backside, just missing an out… Scott Oberg pitched a hitless ninth for Colorado, with a strikeout. He is likely headed to Triple-A Albuquerque, just outside the Rockies’ bullpen hierarchy to start the season.

Misses: Jordan Lyles pitched his longest outing of the spring, going 2 1/2 innings in relief of Senzatela. He gave up three hits among the 10 batters he faced, but one was a solo home run to Gallo in the seventh. Gallo, the DH, hit a two-out shot to left field on his first pitch.

Up next: The Rockies are off Wednesday. They will travel to Peoria to face the Padres on Thursday at 12:10 p.m. German Marquez will start for Colorado.