On Friday the Los Angeles Dodgers made a surprising roster move. To create a roster space for Ben Rortvedt, claimed off waivers from the Reds, the back to back World Series champs designated Anthony Banda for assignment.
Banda has appeared in 119 games over the last two years, pitching to a 3.14 ERA. Baseball Savant lists his walk rate at the very low end of the spectrum, but many of his metrics are high value assets that a team will surely seek for added bullpen support.
He’s a lefty who delivered a 1.22 WHIP last season in 65 innings pitched, with a 95.9 MPH average four seam fastball (and an equally fiery sinker) that draws swings and misses while limiting hard hits well.
Teams will almost surely be lining up to sign Banda, and the Red Sox should be in the mix here, too. It’s not every day that the opportunity to claim a high caliber reliever for a paltry salary comes along. He’s set to make just over $1.6 million in 2026 and hit arbitration the following year.
The Red Sox should pounce on the opportunity to add even more pitching depth with former Dodger Anthony Banda
Hmmmm https://t.co/1CLoD0r3Wi
— Lou Merloni (@LouMerloni) February 6, 2026
The Red Sox haven’t shown a penchant for splashing the cash this offseason, while targeting strategic trades to dump salary. Therefore, a cheap, controllable pitcher who clearly has the goods should be a key target for the front office.
The Dodgers will have a week to decide on a path forward. With four-plus years of service time, Banda can and might reject being outrighted to the minors, forcing the organization to part with him and allow Banda to hit free agency in search of a new deal. If the Sox want to strike while the iron is hot, Craig Breslow should already be on the phone looking for common ground with an organization he already has plenty of experience with as a trading partner.
The 2026 offseason shaped up to be one of letdowns and frustrations. Things have been a mixed bag, with a few interesting pitching additions that absolutely make the team better, but losses in the batting order and defense that will be felt throughout the season. Finding a way to capitalize on this opportunity to snag a quality pitcher with World Series experience to Boston would fall solidly in the win category.