Dodgers Have Wanted to Trade for Recently-Acquired Reliever ‘For a Couple Years’
On Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired journeyman left-hander Anthony Banda from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for cash considerations. On Sunday, he was added to the active roster.
Turns out the Dodgers have had their eyes on the 30-year-old for a while.
“We’ve had eyes on him for a couple of years and just to get him adds another left-handed arm,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters, including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “There’s a fastball. There’s a slider or sweeper. There’s a changeup, two different fastballs, four-seam, two-seam. So we’re going to run him out there.”
Banda was in Triple-A this year, with a 2.12 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 17 innings. He has spent parts of seven seasons in the big leagues with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and now, the Dodgers.
Since he was added to the roster, the 30-year-old has appeared in three games surrendering only one hit in 2.2 innings. He has yet to allow a run or a walk and has struck out two.
Before debuting with the Dodgers on Sunday, he previously appeared in the Major Leagues in 2023 as a member of the Nationals, pitching in 10 games, and allowing five earned runs in seven innings. He has a career 5.69 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 118.2 innings.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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