New Opportunity Has Developed For The White Sox

The Dodgers made a notable roster cut this afternoon, designating left-handed pitcher Anthony Banda for assignment to make space for catcher Ben Rortvedt, a recent waiver claim. It is a somewhat surprising move given his recent run of success for the Dodgers, and there is now an opportunity for a team like the White Sox to snatch him up and improve their bullpen.

Banda, 32, was an integral part of the Dodgers’ bullpen the past two years. He made 71 regular season appearances in 2025, compiling a 3.18 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 1.22 WHIP, and 8.4 K/9 across 65 innings. Primarily a sinker and slider pitcher, he has historically been tough on left-handed batters. That trend continued this past season, as they slashed just .153/.241/.255 against him in 112 plate appearances.

Warning Signs

While Banda still had success in 2025, the underlying numbers showed some warning signs that could explain why the Dodgers were willing to part ways. His walk rate jumped from 8.6% in 2024 to 12.7% in 2025, while his strikeout rate dipped slightly from 23.9% to 22.8%. Opposing batters had a BABIP of just .227 last season as well, an indication that he got lucky to put up the numbers he did. He also struggled to end the season, allowing six runs in just three innings in the 2025 World Series.

White Sox Lefty Reliever Competiton

The bullpen was a major problem for the White Sox last season, particularly from the left side. Chris Getz has been very active this winter to improve that area of the team. He signed Sean Newcomb to a one-year, $4.5 million contract, as well as acquiring Chris Murphy in a trade with the Red Sox and signing Ryan Borucki to a minor league contract. Brandon Eisert and Tyler Gilbert are holdovers from last year’s team and remain in the equation as well. This group of lefties will battle it out in spring training in hopes of earning a spot in the White Sox bullpen to start the regular season.

Even with some of his numbers trending in the wrong direction, Banda represents an intriguing gamble for a team like the White Sox. He is more accomplished and experienced than the other lefty relievers who will be in camp, and his $1.625 million salary for 2026 is reasonable even for a budget-conscious team. He also has an additional year of control for the 2027 season. Newcomb will likely be the primary left-hander in the White Sox bullpen, but Banda would be an upgrade as the second situational lefty behind him.

Logical Add For White Sox

Anthony Banda was the victim of a roster crunch for the Dodgers. He didn’t perform poorly by any means, but the presence of other left-handed relievers like Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Justin Wrobleski made the Dodgers fine with the possibility of losing him. Their loss could be the White Sox’s gain. Bringing him in would provide another stable veteran presence in Will Venable’s new look bullpen.