The Los Angeles officially designated reliever Anthony Banda as a player on Friday after the left-hander secured his second consecutive World Series championship with the team. Banda, 32, pitched in 71 games last year, finishing with a 5-1 record and a 3.19 ERA. Over two seasons, he holds an 8-3 record with a 3.14 ERA.
Banda has spent parts of nine MLB seasons with several teams, including Arizona, Tampa Bay, the New York Mets, Pittsburgh, Toronto, the New York Yankees, and Washington. In 209 career appearances, he has compiled a 15-9 record with a 4.44 ERA.
The also picked up catcher Ben Rotvedt off waivers after he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. The 28-year-old returns to Los Angeles, where he originally joined the team through a trade from Tampa Bay on July 31st. Rotvedt played in 18 games with the , hitting .224 with one homer and four RBIs. In September, he played a key role in supporting the ’ pitching lineup, leading MLB with a 2.17 ERA. He appeared in four playoff games last season and has previously played for Minnesota, the Yankees, and Tampa Bay.
Fan Take: This move highlights the ’ commitment to strengthening their bullpen and catching depth, which are crucial for a deep postseason run. For fans, it’s exciting to see experienced players like Banda and Rotvedt continuing to make an impact, signaling a strong future for one of baseball’s most storied franchises.
