The Dodgers announced that they have designated left-hander Anthony Banda for assignment. That’s the corresponding move for their claim of catcher Ben Rortvedt, a move that was previously reported.
It’s a little bit of a surprise to see Banda losing his roster spot. He’s been a serviceable member of the Dodger bullpen for a couple of years now, even making multiple playoff appearances over the past two years. The Dodgers also tendered him a contract for 2026, agreeing to a $1.625MM salary last month.
But there were also some worrying trends in his 2025 performance. In 2024, he had given the Dodgers 49 2/3 innings with a 3.08 earned run average, 23.9% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and 44.4% ground ball rate.
His ERA mostly held steady last year, climbing marginally to 3.18, but with more concern under the hood. His strikeout rate dropped to 22.8%. His walk rate shot up to 12.7%. He only induced grounders on 39.4% of balls in play. His ERA would have climbed more if not for a .227 batting average on balls in play and 83.1% strand rate, both very fortunate numbers. His 4.52 FIP and 4.39 SIERA suggested he deserved far worse. He then got lit up in the playoffs, allowing six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers also have plenty of other lefty options. Banda probably wouldn’t have pitched in the playoffs so much if not for Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia being unavailable, Scott due to injury and Vesia due to a family matter. Both Scott and Vesia are expected to be back next year. The Dodgers have also seen young guys like Jack Dreyer and Justin Wrobleski take steps forward.
On top of Banda’s performance and the other lefties on hand, Banda is also out of options, which surely helped nudge him off the roster. The Dodgers tendering him a contract perhaps suggests they are hoping to pass him through waivers unclaimed, which would therefore allow them to keep him as non-roster depth.
It wouldn’t be the first time they tried that this winter. They signed Ben Rortvedt and Andy Ibáñez to modest deals of just over $1MM then later put both on waivers, seemingly hoping that no other club would take on the modest salaries. It didn’t work in either case. Rortvedt was claimed by the Reds in November, though the Dodgers claimed him back today. Also earlier today, Ibáñez was claimed by the Athletics.
It seems likely that Banda would be claimed as well, despite his shaky 2025. He has some major league success and the salary is not massive. He could also be retained via arbitration for the 2027 season by any acquiring club. Given the weak bullpens of some clubs around the league, especially the rebuilding ones, it seems unlikely that 29 clubs would pass on him.
DFA limbo can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Dodgers could take five days to field trade interest. If the interest is decent enough, perhaps they can find a club willing to part with some cash considerations or a lottery-ticket prospect. If they plan to put him on waivers, they should probably do so sooner rather than later. The 60-day injured list opens up next week, which will give most clubs some extra roster flexibility for moves such as waiver claims.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
He should get claimed within the hour, right?
Is Rortveldt more valuable than Banda? I don’t see him going unclaimed either.
To the Dodgers? Yeah, probably.
Dodgers probably haven’t even placed him on waivers and won’t tbh. Someone will trade for him.
Twins should be all over this.
A Banda departs? Interesting. He came into camp early.
ice cold
It probably won’t matter due to priority order, but get that claim in, Craig!
Meow: “Craig!”
Breslow?
1.9 k/bb rate,
Red Sox already got rid of bad ratio guys Hicks, Bernardino and Criswell. I dont think he’d claim a guy like that unless he had a really high ceiling.
Sox are light on LH relief options and Banda has been great against lefties. I don’t even assume he’ll make it far enough down the waiver order for the Red Sox to be able to get him.
Good point.
Just trade for him!
Why dfa him? He has a 130 era+ the past 2 years. Cardinals pick him up and then trade Romero
Wrobleski can replace him
Love the dude. He’ll get picked up fast
He seems like a good bullpen piece and we should claim him (except for the fact that we already have Okert and King and Sousa returning soon).
Somebody will probably take a chance on him for $1.6M, even though he’s really below average in just about every pitching category.
Baseball Savant disagrees.
Well, in that case.
Just run down his advanced metrics and look for any career numbers that indicate above average. He’s been better than that in the las two seasons, but the career numbers have to raise the question of sustainability.
Then you have the issue of the DFA. The Dodgers obviously saw him as expendable.
I forgot about Hader.
hm
Can Banda still be traded? Seems like a precursor to a Rushing deal.
Only if he goes unclaimed. His contract is $1.6M for the upcoming season.
Why would it be a precursor to a rushing deal, and why a rushing deal?
Because Rushing has been rumored to be traded, Skubal is likely available and Rortveldt could slide into the Dodgers backup catcher spot if Rushing is part of a trade to Detroit.
Rushing plus what?
You have it backwards. Waiver claim only happens if he doesn’t get traded.
Yes, he can be traded. If there is no interest, then the player is put on waivers. There’s an explanation at the end of the article.
Hate to see him leave, but he’s a two time World Series champion and should get snapped up quick.
Dodgers DFAs could start on most teams.
Banda picked up in minutes.
Surprising
Some team is going to jump the waiver wire and trade for him
Hopefully for the Dodgers. Surprised they didn’t find takers beforehand.
It would be funny if the Reds picked him up after the Dodgers picked up the guy the Reds DFAed.
Nothing wrong with another lefty for the pen.
When you have 3/7 bullpen arms lefties and another one on the IL, maybe you don’t need FIVE bullpen southpaws.
Arb eligible, maybe they couldnt come to agreement? Or did they already
I’m a little surprised by this. I guess more about Banda, and not about Rortvedt. Not sure if Rushing should be the backup, I think it’s best he plays every day. Rortvedt however, is a good defender and has backup catcher written all over him.
I guess the Dodgers have plenty of lefties in the pen, and the depth to make a move like this. I’m sure they’ll collect a controllable asset, as Banda has been pretty good for them the last two seasons, is pretty cheap, and again, left handed.
@derail76 the Dodgers won’t get anything for Banda, aside from the usual cash considerations or ptbnl.
Once a player is put on waivers and that player is claimed, the posting team has 3 options, arrange a trade, give him away and let the new team assume the contract, or keep him by putting him back in their 40 man roster.
Since the last option is not possible, otherwise they wouldn’t have put him on waivers, then the Dodgers have no leverage.
I know how the DFA process works out. Somebody will claim him, and the Dodgers will then trade him for a low level prospect. Like I said, a controllable asset.
Come on Pirates what a terrible move