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Anthony Banda

Pirates Designate Anthony Banda For Assignment, Release Heath Hembree

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The Pirates announced a series of roster moves Monday, reinstating utilityman Josh VanMeter from the injured list, recalling righty Miguel Yajure from Triple-A Indianapolis, optioning outfielder Cal Mitchell to Triple-A and designating lefty Anthony Banda for assignment. Pittsburgh also released righty Heath Hembree after he cleared waivers, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link) and assigned righty Jerad Eickhoff to Indianapolis after he cleared outright waivers.

Banda has been in Pittsburgh for a bit shy of a year, having been claimed off waivers from the Mets last August. He made 25 appearances down the stretch, tossing 26 1/3 frames of 3.42 ERA ball. That came with middle-of-the-road strikeout and walk numbers, but Banda was successful enough to hold his roster spot over the winter. He broke camp this season and went on to make 23 more appearances, but the 28-year-old didn’t have nearly as much success keeping runs off the board.

Through 19 2/3 innings, Banda owns a 6.41 ERA. He’s posted slightly below-average marks in both strikeout rate (22.4%) and swinging strike percentage (9.4%), although that’s come with career-best control. Banda has walked only around 5% of opponents, and he’s averaging a personal-high 95.3 MPH on his fastball. Opposing hitters have an unsustainably high .463 batting average on balls in play against him in spite of a general lack of hard contact.

Those better underlying traits could entice another club to roll the dice on Banda over the coming days. The Bucs will have a week to trade him or try to run him through waivers. He’s out of minor league option years, so any team that acquires him would have to keep him on the active roster or DFA him themselves.

Hembree heads to free agency after being designated for assignment himself last week (ironically to accommodate Eickhoff’s selection to the 40-man roster). That’s little surprise, as the veteran reliever is playing this season on a $2.125MM salary and is amidst a down year. He posted a 7.16 ERA with more walks than strikeouts in 20 appearances for the Bucs, but he’s only a season removed from punching out 34.2% of batters faced. That’ll at least generate some minor league interest now that Hembree’s back on the open market; a signing team would only owe him the prorated portion of the $700K minimum salary for any time he spends in the majors, with the Pirates on the hook for the rest of the money owed.

Eickhoff has the right to join Hembree in free agency, having been outrighted on multiple occasions in his career. He made just one MLB appearance, serving up ten runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Cubs. The veteran righty has otherwise spent the season in Indianapolis, tossing 48 1/3 frames of 4.84 ERA ball.

Pirates Claim Anthony Banda From Mets

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The Pirates announced they’ve claimed left-hander Anthony Banda off waivers from the Mets. Pittsburgh already had a vacancy on the 40-man roster. New York designated Banda for assignment over the weekend.

Banda’s tenure with the Mets proved a fairly short one. New York acquired the 27-year-old in a minor league trade with the Giants in early July. He was selected to the roster a couple weeks later but let go after making five relief appearances totaling 7 1/3 innings. Banda was tagged for eight runs (six earned) on fourteen hits in that time, although he did strike out seven while issuing a single walk.

This marks the fifth consecutive season in which Banda has gotten big league work, although he’s not picked up more than 25 2/3 frames in any single year. A one-time top 100 prospect while coming up in the Diamondbacks system, Banda has been set back by injuries and struggles at the highest levels in recent years. He carries a 4.99 ERA in parts of five Triple-A seasons but was quite good up through Double-A. Banda is out of minor league options, so he needs to stick in the big leagues or wind up back on waivers moving forward.

Mets Designate Anthony Banda, Outright Akeem Bostick

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The Mets announced that left-hander Anthony Banda has been designated for assignment, while right-hander Akeem Bostick has been outrighted to Triple-A.  (Bostick was DFA’ed yesterday as part of the Mets’ roster shuffles on deadline day.)  The moves open up some 40-man roster space for the two particulars of yesterday’s big trade with the Cubs — Javier Baez joins New York’s active roster, while righty Trevor Williams was optioned to Triple-A.

The Giants dealt Banda to the Mets at the start of July, and Banda could potentially last only a month in his latest organization.  Banda’s contract was selected by New York on July 19, and he posted a 7.36 ERA over five appearances and 7 1/3 innings with the team.

A Tommy John surgery and other injuries have hampered the career of Banda, who drew notice as a prospect during his time in the Brewers, Diamondbacks, and Rays farm system.  That potential led Banda to be included as part of a pair of notable trades — exactly seven years ago today, the Brewers sent Banda and Mitch Haniger to the D’Backs for Gerardo Parra, and then he was moved to the Rays as part of a big three-team trade in February 2018.  At the big league level, Banda has tossed only 58 2/3 innings since the start of the 2017 season, posting a 6.14 ERA.

Mets Select Anthony Banda, Stephen Nogosek

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Before this evening’s game against the Reds, the Mets selected the contracts of pitchers Anthony Banda and Stephen Nogosek. To create space on the 40-man roster, New York transferred righty Corey Oswalt from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list and designated outfielder Johneshwy Fargas for assignment.

Acquired in a minor trade with the Giants earlier this month, Banda’s now set to appear in his fifth consecutive big league season, although he only has 51 1/3 combined innings under his belt. Banda hasn’t yet had sustained big league success, with just a 5.96 ERA/4.66 SIERA over that time. The southpaw was well-regarded as a prospect before being set back by injuries, thanks largely to some excellent minor league numbers up through Double-A. Banda hasn’t translated his low minors’ dominance to Triple-A though, pitching to a 4.99 ERA with average strikeout and walk rates (22.6% and 9.2%, respectively) over parts of five seasons.

Nogosek is back in the majors for the first time since 2019. He made seven relief appearances with New York that year before being outrighted off the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old has spent the entire 2021 campaign with Triple-A Syracuse, pitching to a 5.76 ERA across 29 2/3 innings. The poor run prevention belies strong swing-and-miss numbers, as Nogosek has punched out a lofty 32.8% of batters faced in the minors this year.

With their outfield decimated by injury, the Mets selected Fargas to the big league roster in mid-May. He had four extra-base hits in just 22 plate appearances but went down with a shoulder problem himself. By the time he returned from the IL last week, New York’s other outfielders had already made their way back. The Mets will now have a week to trade Fargas or expose him to waivers.

Oswalt landed on the IL on July 6 with right knee inflammation. He’ll miss at least the majority of the rest of the season, with today’s transfer ruling him out for sixty days from the date of that placement. Before going down with injury, the 27-year-old tossed 10 1/3 innings across three appearances.

Mets Acquire Anthony Banda From Giants

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2:22 pm: The Mets have announced the trade.

2:06 pm: The Mets have agreed to a deal acquiring left-hander Anthony Banda from the Giants in exchange for minor league third baseman Will Toffey, reports Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).

Banda, 27, was once one of the game’s top pitching prospects but has battled injuries and begun to bounce around the league in journeyman fashion. He’s spent the 2021 season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, where he’s struggled to a 6.86 ERA with a 22.2 percent strikeout rate, a 9.5 percent walk rate and a 50 percent ground-ball rate. Most of the damage done against Banda in 2021 has come in three outings (a pair of six-run drubbings and a particularly rough seven-run game).

It hasn’t been a great year for Banda, but the same can be said of the 26-year-old Toffey, who has posted just a .178/.317/.386 batting line with a sky-high 38 percent strikeout rate in 123 Double-A plate appearances. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen ranked him 28th among Mets farmhands heading into the season, noting that he’s a solid defender at the hot corner with a plus arm but questioning his lack of power and bat speed.

In Banda, the Mets will get a lefty with some big league experience — 51 1/3 innings, 5.96 ERA, 3.67 FIP — to help shore up their depth after a staggering number of pitching injuries have taken their toll on the organization. The Giants, meanwhile, are buying low on a prospect of a bit of note. Toffey has batted just .220 and slugged .379 in parts of three Double-A seasons, but his keen eye at the plate has produced a .354 OBP at that generally pitcher-friendly level.

Giants Sign Dominic Leone, Several Others To Minor League Deals

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The Giants announced a series of minor league contracts with invitations to Major League Spring Training today, with right-handers Dominic Leone, Silvino Bracho and Rico Garcia among them. Lefty Anthony Banda, whom the Giants outrighted at season’s end, is also back on a minors pact. Others invited to camp include right-handers Melvin Adon, Daniel Alvarez, Yunior Marte, Raffi Vizcaino and Sam Wolff, as well as lefty Sam Long and infielder/outfielder Jason Krizan.

Of the group, Leone comes with far and away the most big league experience. The 29-year-old reliever has appeared in parts of seven MLB seasons, pitching to a combined 4.09 ERA with 9.6 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 over the course of 253 innings out of the bullpen. Leone’s peak season came with the Blue Jays in 2017, when he racked up a career-high 70 1/3 innings and struck out a hearty 29 percent of the batters he faced (10.4 K/9).

Following that strong effort, Leone was traded to the Cardinals alongside righty Conner Greene in the deal that sent Randal Grichuk to Toronto. Things didn’t pan out in St. Louis for Leone, who limped through a pair of injury-plagued seasons and ultimately record a 5.15 ERA and 4.77 FIP in 64 2/3 frames as a Cardinal. Although he’s been inconsistent, Leone makes for a sensible enough flier by a Giants club looking high and low for bullpen depth after seeing several key relievers depart in recent years.

Others in the group with MLB experience include former Bracho, a former D-backs reliever, Garcia and Banda. Garcia tossed 10 innings with the Giants in 2019 but has generally been hit hard between his brief time between San Francisco and Colorado. Banda was at one point considered to be one of the game’s top overall pitching prospects but has since had his career derailed by injuries, including Tommy John surgery. He was with the Giants org late in the season but did not pitch in a big league game.

Bracho, 28, was up and down with Arizona from 2015-17 but looked to turn a corner in 2018 when he pitched 31 innings with a 3.19 ERA/3.26 FIP and a 34-to-12 K/BB ratio. However, he missed the entire 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery and had his 2020 return slowed this summer when he tested positive for Covid-19. Bracho did make it back to toss an inning with the D-backs, but he hasn’t had a full, healthy season since 2018. With three-plus big years of MLB service, he’s technically controllable through at least the 2023 campaign if he can crack the MLB roster and seize a spot in the San Francisco bullpen.

Giants Outright Three Players

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The Giants announced a series of roster moves today (via Maria Guardado of MLB.com). Right-handers Tyler Beede and Reyes Moronta, outfielder Joey Rickard and catcher Aramís García were all reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Rickard cleared outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Sacramento. As a player with more than three years of MLB service, Rickard can choose to reject the assignment and become a free agent.

Also clearing outright waivers were catcher Tyler Heineman and left-hander Anthony Banda. Like Rickard, both players had the right to hit the open market. Banda, though, has already agreed to a new minor-league deal with San Francisco.

Rickard, a former Oriole Rule 5 pick, was limited to six plate appearances in 2020. He’s a career .246/.300/.371 hitter. Heineman has taken 62 uninspiring trips to the plate over the past two seasons but amassed a solid resume in the high minors. Once a well-regarded prospect in the Diamondbacks’ and Rays’ systems, Banda has been limited by injuries to 51.1 innings across four MLB seasons. The southpaw has a career 5.96 ERA/3.67 FIP. San Francisco’s 40-man roster sits at 37 players.

Giants Acquire Anthony Banda

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The Rays have traded left-hander Anthony Banda to the Giants, Robert Murray reports. The Giants sent cash considerations in return, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those to tweet. To make room for Banda, the Giants placed outfielder Joey Rickard on the 60-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.

The 27-year-old Banda spent a short time in limbo, as the Rays designated him for assignment Sunday. Banda’s a former top 100 prospect whom the Rays acquired from the Diamondbacks in a three-way trade entering the 2018 season, though he hasn’t made much of a major league impact so far. Banda wound up throwing just 51 1/3 innings with the Rays, including seven frames this year, and recording a 5.96 ERA (and a far better 3.67 FIP) with 7.19 K/9 against 3.16 BB/9.

Rays Reinstate Brendan McKay From IL, Designate Anthony Banda

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The Rays have reinstated Brendan McKay from the injured list and sent him to the team’s alternate training site.  Left-hander Anthony Banda has been designated for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot.

McKay is out for the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but the Rays had to officially bring him back off the COVID-19 injured list, and thus needed to create an opening on the 40-man.  McKay tested positive for the coronavirus during Summer Camp and wasn’t cleared to participate at the alternate training site until early August.

The procedural move leaves Banda in DFA limbo.  The southpaw had an ugly outing today, allowing five runs in an inning of work during the Rays’ 12-7 win over the Marlins.  Banda has a 10.29 ERA over seven innings for Tampa Bay this season, with more walks (five) than strikeouts (four).  Once a well-regarded prospect in his minor league days, Banda has yet to establish himself over 51 1/3 Major League innings since the start of the 2017 season, with a big chunk of that time spent rehabbing after Tommy John surgery.

Rays Option Seven Players To Triple-A

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The Rays cut seven players from their 26-man roster today, as per a team announcement (Twitter link).  Outfielder Randy Arozarena, right-hander Trevor Richards, left-hander Anthony Banda, infielders Nate Lowe and Mike Brosseau, first baseman/outfielder Brian O’Grady and two-way player Brendan McKay are were all optioned to Triple-A.

Given how the Rays so often shuttle players from Triple-A and the big leagues, it’s safe to assume all seven of these names will wind up seeing action for the club this season, should the season get underway.  Tampa Bay is perhaps better equipped than most teams to handle the challenges posed by a potential shortened schedule and an effort to fit as many games as possible into an abbreviated period of time, as the Rays’ strong farm system gives them a lot of extra depth, and many of their players (especially pitchers) are already used to frequent trips up and down the ladder.

Since Lowe, Ji-Man Choi, and the newly-acquired Yoshitomo Tsutsugo are all left-handed hitters, it made sense that the younger Lowe would be the odd man out of the first base/DH mix.  The same is true for O’Grady, acquired in a trade with the Reds back in November.

Arozarena is also a newcomer to Tampa Bay, having been acquired as part of the multi-player trade with the Cardinals in January that brought Jose Martinez to the Rays.  Martinez is the right-handed complement to Choi and Tsutsugo (though the Rays have been experimenting with Tsutsugo as a part-time third baseman and outfielder), while Arozarena will provide outfield depth at Triple-A.  Arozarena’s chances of making the Opening Day roster were lessened when the Rays picked up Manuel Margot from the Padres, though Arozarena’s ability to play all three outfield positions will very likely make him the first call-up should an injury or need arise in the Rays’ outfield.

The delayed start to the season should give Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow time to get fully healthy, which meant McKay and Richards were suddenly expendable.  Since the Rays still plan to occasionally spell their starters by using openers, Richards will probably get action either in a traditional starting role or as a bulk pitcher behind an opener — he served in both capacities after being acquired by the Marlins at last year’s trade deadline.  In fact, it could be easy to see a scenario where Richards and “Two Way McKay” are combined together in a piggyback outing, with the intriguing McKay (one of the game’s top prospects) also serving as an X-factor at the plate.

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