The Los Angeles Dodgers designated left-handed reliever Anthony Banda for assignment on Friday as they moved to bring back backup catcher Ben Rortvedt on a waiver claim.
Banda, 32, played a key role in the Dodgers’ bullpen during two consecutive championship seasons, but struggled in the last World Series with an 18.00 ERA in four appearances against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Banda suffered a staff shortage. The Dodgers were considering six left-handed reliever options before they designated him.
Banda went 8-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 119 appearances (three starts) over the past two seasons in Los Angeles. In nine major league seasons, he has a 15-9 record with a 4.44 ERA in 209 appearances (nine starts).
Rortvedt, 28, was a Dodgers acquisition at the end of last season in September when Will Smith injured his hand. He was on the roster throughout the postseason and started the first four games of the championship run.
The Dodgers signed Rortvedt to a guaranteed $1.25 million contract for the 2026 season before he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Cincinnati Reds. He was designated for assignment by the Reds earlier this week when Cincinnati signed Eugenio Suarez.
Rortvedt went 3 for 7 with one RBI in the playoffs with Los Angeles. In 138 career games across four seasons with four different teams, he has a .190 batting average with nine home runs and 52 RBIs.
–Field level media
