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.
Yes he is. But only because they have 3 LHP RPs they like better.
Dodgers probably haven’t even placed him on waivers and won’t tbh. Someone will trade for him.
Either a trade or they’ll wait to see if he ends up being released so they can avoid the 1.65m salary.
Twins should be all over this.
A Banda departs? Interesting. He came into camp early.
ice cold
Yeah I saw that… awkward
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.
That trade is incomprehensible to me still, taking on Hicks and his ridiculous contract to add Sandlin when you have two Rule 5 selections to manage in Alberto and Paez.
Hicks isnt going to post numbers strong enough to garner trade interest and Sandlin isnt any better of a prospect than Paez or Alberto.
Boneheaded trade if you ask me. A week later and a good LHRP hits the waiver wire but you now have Hicks at 8M AAV.
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
Did you not read the article? His underlying metrics were bad last year. His walks were way up and his grounders way down.
But, but, but… His metrics in ’24 indicated he would be fine in ’25. Now his metrics in ’25 were not good, and you believe that means something for ’26? I don’t think its a predictive measure at all.
It’s more of a necessary depth move. Can’t imagine that tough convo Roberts had with him. Someone will claim him for that salary.
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.
Kid has been a great teammate from all accounts. Deserves a nice ovation upon his return to Dodger Stadium for time well served. He was part of it all. Baseball is a wicked business and if liking the guy personally was worth a roster spot, he’d be a forever Dodger. The mask and tattoos in the celebrating clubhouse won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
The Dodgers seem to have developed a knack for choosing get-along types, and Banda is definitely one of those. But as you say, baseball is the name of the game, and if you’re hanging onto the bottom rung of the roster, what happens is what happens. And no matter what else happens, he got two rings out of the deal. My guess is he will have no complaints either way.
My only reservation about Teo to the RedSox for Duran as Duran didn’t exactly endear himself to a certain part of the public. Wondering if that’s a factor, because they do tend to go after the “good teammate” type.
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?
Skubal isn’t getting traded unless the Tigers fall out of the 2026 race. And certainly not before the August 3 deadline.
The Tigers have plenty of C depth, and Skubal is not getting traded.
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.
Thanks for the clarification.
Hate to see him leave, but he’s a two time World Series champion and should get snapped up quick.
Maybe not with his arb settlement number.
Dodgers hoping that by paying him well no one will snag him.
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
He settled for 1.6
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.
I don’t think you get it. They won’t get a prospect. They’ll get cash or some organizational minor leaguer. As in someone who has no shot to be promoted.
I think the most interesting part is that Banda should be someone who the Dodgers have no problem trading for an actual prospect. The fact they put him on waivers means that no one wanted to trade for him.
Is it because there is something wrong with him? or is it because the other teams are mad at the Dodgers? it sounds kinda improbable, but could the other owners be blackballing the Dodgers because they are weakening their position as they head into the new CBA negotiations?
When a player gets DFA’d, they are immediately taken off the 40 man roster and the team has seven days to trade them, place them on waivers, release them, or send them to the minor leagues.
What part do I not get?
I don’t think this has anything to do with Rushing but we’ll see and what do I know. Rushing is still tabbed as the backup and potentially getting more ABs at other positions. I think this is more to shore up catching depth behind Smith and Rushing. I expect the Dodgers to DFA Roertvedt again and hope he is unclaimed and send him back to AAA. Stash as many depth pieces at AAA as possible. And less room for pitchers given the roster build up.
This is a very likely scenario, with the only other catcher with any ML experience is Chuckie Robinson. If Rortvedt stays up and they can clear him through waivers, it will interesting to see which way they go. Rushing looked overmatched last year as a rookie, and Rortvedt is the better defender. Rushings calling is his offense, for sure.
Come on Pirates what a terrible move
Nice WHIP
Yanks should grab him
Pretty much any team should pick him up. For 1.6m and still has decent-ish numbers, plus he’s a lefty bullpen option every team needs lefty options.
I like Banda as well but the dodgers have a bunch of players coming back from the injured list that are better then him. River Ryan is a guy to watch
Banda could still be traded, Rortvedt , who they just claimed off waivers , is out of options and can’t be sent down,Rushing suddenly has no place on the roster, and the Tigers won a boatload of prospects for you know who. Just saying…
Can’t they try to DFA Roertvedt again and see if he goes unclaimed and then stash him at AAA? I know the Reds ruined that plan last time but worth another shot?
Haven’t they already tried that unsuccessfully twice with Siani? I suppose they can still run Siani through that procedure a third time.
They probably won’t try it again with the catcher Rortvedt just because he has considerable utility to just about any team as a good glove catcher so he’s probably always gonna get claimed away.
They didn’t get Old Andy Ibáñez stashed away at AAA like they wanted either and If they don’t get Banda thru my guess is they will stop trying this because unless they re-sign Tyler Fitzgerald which they well might – they’ll only have Rortvedt and Siani on the 40 as players who can be treated this way due to their contract amounts and service time status. And those two players have each already been subjected to this process more than once in this offseason and at some point you’re gonna create ill will with a player going forward evermore by doing them this way. Plus with spring training about to start they’ll put a hiatus on the felky little 40 man roster maneuverings of this sort
I understand that his rates took a hit last year and he is on a small contract but I really think they should be designating Ben Casparius and Michael Grove over Banda. Yes, they have years of team control but they have no value. Both have negative WAR, ERAs above 4.5 and 5 respectively. Both out with injuries. Trade them, open up the spots, they aren’t going to generate value anyway and they have more than enough starter depth to just shoo them away and keep a tested arm in the bullpen.
Grove got dfa back in November. Casparius is better that Banda. Why not dfa Gervase?
I must have missed the Grove move but Casparius is not better than Banda.
WAR for relievers is tricky but fWAR paints a much different picture. Statcast favors Casparius tremendously.
But by that same line of thinking, if WAR is tricky for relievers, Banda still comes out on top. I would rather have a guy who has shown he works over a guy Statcast says should be better but isn’t.
Hhe doesn’t come out on top and before he was in LA he had a negative WAR.
Fangraphs credits Casparius with 1.3 WAR last year while Banda has 1.1 for his whole career.
This has nothing to do with his time before LA. His tenure in LA is overall better and more consistent than Casparius.
again, not according to fangraphs WAR.
Lol k
I’ll defer to the LA front office over lol k
Good option for someone looking for a Banda-aid in the bullpen. I’ll see myself out.
@Hex
They have four better LHP in the pen. Scott, Vesia, Dreyer, Wrobleski. Banda has value, but not right now for LAD. And Grove is no longer on the 40-man roster.
I missed the Grove move and those are all great pieces but I still worry about the pen. How last year went having more pen arms is going to be more reliable than starters that won’t start. Ditch Bobby Miller than. Shocked he’s still on the 40 man.
Bobby Miller still has more trade value than Banda.
How? Another negative WAR player, career ERA over 5 and only one good season in his rookie year which if I remember correctly had a rough second half? He hasn’t even been good in AAA.
And outside of a bad outing or two at the end of the season, Miller looked really good in relief at OKC. I think he’s a weapon if he can just get his control straightened out a little bit.
Perception and potential is “how.” Sure Miller is a couple of more bad outings away from useless but for the moment there are still teams who would jump on him if he shows a glimmer of effectiveness.
Hey Posey, you know that broken bullpen that was never fixed this offseason? This guy will help.
So…who’s going to be bumped when they try to sign Kike?
Would like to see him back with the Pirates. We could use a lefty.
Teoscar should be the next DFA….
definitely not happening.
still think there’s a possibility of Teo to the RedSox in a package for Duran. It literally makes too much sense. Duran would shore up both LF and CF on a daily basis, and add a ton of speed and youth to the lineup. And now Rushing isn’t cemented anywhere who is absolutely blocked by Smith. Does anyone realize how good Rortvedt was for the Dodgers last year? He literally did everything right besides light up the offensive stats, and even then, he always got the bunt down, gave hard 90s on ground balls, always blocked the balls in the dirt and did the best “just don’t lose the game” on the squad every day he played for an injured Smith.
@bestone
Great idea. DFA a $12M/yr (in 2026) who hit 25 HRs & 89 RBI in 2025 despite being injured 3 times during the season. Yes his RF defense was subpar (you’re aware he’s moving back to LF?) but his offense is strong. Do you actually watch baseball games?
Shirtless Banda wearing a wrestling mask during the clubhouse celebrations was classic. Vaya con dios, amigo….
About time. Now trade Teoscar and stop signing old men.
Are the Dodgers are gonna just keep doing this until the rest of the league lets them have what they’re trying to accomplish with this now being the second player they negotiated an MLB contract with only to turn around and DFA him the next day.
They’re trying to essentially get the benefit of carrying a healthy 41st player with a major league contract on their 40 man roster without having to actually add him to the 40 until he’s needed after the season begins. They negotiated an mlb min salary contract with Old Andy Ibáñez and then DFA’d in order to back-add Mike Siani who has been claimed then DFA’d 5 times since 2025 season ended – 3 by the Dodgers. They figured nobody gonna claim Old Andy on waivers – we’re the only team that offered anything more than a minor league deal. Only to get stymied be the Athletics who I imagine did it not being bc they all of a sudden need this player but rather as a message to the Dodgers to cut it out with the bully tactics. I doubt Ibáñez is real happy right now having to switch from the luxury MLB facilities of the WS winners to the AAA facilities and amenities offered in Sacramento
So now the Dodgers, having already gone to the trouble of negotiating a contract with the arb eligible Banda that let parties avoid the hearing agreeing on a K 33% above the MLB minimum, but surprised they were unable to get Ibáñez stashed in AAA off the 40 but with an MLB contract, are gonna try the same tactic with slightly more expensive to claim on waivers than Ibáñez Banda and I think someone will stymie this one too.
It seems like a bad way for Dodgers org to treat players. Especially Banda who has helped you in consecutive post seasons. But Old Andy got screwed by this process too
@Huh?
Oh please. All teams move players like this when they have to. Standard MLB roster business.
@Huh
You’re sounding like a housewife with “the Dodgers are evil” rhetoric.