Anthony Banda Reacts to Dodgers’ Latest Blockbuster Bullpen Additions
Anthony Banda was on quite the adventure in Major League Baseball before landing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The left-hander had pitched in parts of eight major league seasons with seven different teams before the Dodgers acquired him from Cleveland in May. After that, he became a dependable bullpen arm, allowing only one run and striking out eight in 10 postseason appearances.
Banda achieved career-best numbers in 2024, surpassing his previous totals from eight seasons in which he logged just 168.1 major league innings, posting a 4.92 ERA and a 4.15 FIP overall.
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With the Dodgers adding relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to the roster, Banda is now part of the best roster on paper that baseball has seen in quite some time.
Banda has always looked up to Scott, he said in a recent interview with MLB Network Radio.
“My raw thoughts were, ‘Oh my gosh, this is incredible,'” Banda said. “I’ve always watched Tanner Scott, being a lefty … and I love the guy as far as the way he throws.”
Banda has accrued three years and 135 days of major league service time. Coming off his best season, he is arbitration-eligible after recording a 3.08 ERA, a 3.29 xERA, two saves, 50 strikeouts, and 18 walks over 49.2 innings.
Whenever Banda stepped foot on the mound during the postseason, it was a first for him.
“That’s what I’ve always dreamed of,” Banda said. “To see the team that I’m on win the World Series, that’s what we play the game for.”
The Dodgers and Banda avoided arbitration with a one-year, $1 million deal for 2025. It was the first time Banda was eligible for arbitration in his career.
With several key additions to the roster this winter, Banda is looking forward to the 2025 season and being in a position to add another championship to his collection.
From 2017 to 2023, he pitched in a total of 90 games across stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Washington Nationals.
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Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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