Anthony Banda Bio
Frank Anthony Banda (born August 10, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher currently in the organization of Major League Baseball. After more than a decade moving between organizations, he reached the sport’s summit as a key member of the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen during back-to-back championship runs. He is recognized as a dependable left-handed relief option who has reinvented himself as a late-inning specialist.
A Corpus Christi native, Banda played college baseball at San Jacinto College before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012. He made his major league debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 and has since appeared for the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Washington Nationals. A two-time World Series champion, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins in February 2026.
Early Life and Background
Frank Anthony Banda was born on August 10, 1993, in Corpus Christi, Texas, to parents Frank and Danette Banda. He grew up in a close-knit household and has four siblings, with sports playing a central role in family life along the Gulf Coast.
Banda attended Sinton High School in Sinton, Texas, where he played for the school’s baseball team. As a senior, his performances drew the attention of professional scouts. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the 33rd round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, but he chose not to sign and instead pursued college baseball.
He enrolled at San Jacinto College, where he delivered a standout season that included a 7–1 record, a 2.01 earned run average, and 73 strikeouts. His performance earned him National Junior College Athletic Association third-team All-American honors and positioned him for a higher selection in the following year’s draft.
Path to Professional Baseball
The Milwaukee Brewers selected Banda in the tenth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with the organization shortly afterward. He made his professional debut that same year with the Arizona League Brewers, posting a 2–3 record with a 5.83 ERA across 41 and two-thirds innings.
In 2013, Banda advanced to the Helena Brewers, where he compiled a 3–4 record and a 4.45 ERA in 14 starts. He began the 2014 season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, making 20 appearances, including 14 starts, and finishing with a 6–6 record and a 3.66 ERA. On July 31, 2014, the Brewers traded Banda and Mitch Haniger to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Gerardo Parra.
Assigned to the South Bend Silver Hawks to finish 2014, Banda made six starts and posted a 1.54 ERA. He spent 2015 with the Visalia Rawhide, going 8–8 with a 3.32 ERA while leading the league with 152 strikeouts, and in 2016 he split time between the Mobile BayBears and the Reno Aces. He was selected for the All-Star Futures Game that July, and the Diamondbacks added him to their 40-man roster after the season, clearing the path to the major leagues.
Anthony Banda Career
Early Career (2012–2016)
Banda’s development years carried him through five different minor league affiliates as he climbed from rookie ball to Triple-A. His 2015 campaign with Visalia established him as a strikeout pitcher, while his work between Mobile and Reno in 2016 demonstrated his ability to handle advanced competition.
The Diamondbacks’ decision to protect him on the 40-man roster after 2016 reflected the organization’s confidence in his trajectory. By the start of the 2017 season, he was viewed as a near-term starting pitching option at the major league level.
Arizona Diamondbacks (2017)
Banda made his major league debut on July 22, 2017, against the Washington Nationals. He struck out the first batter he faced, Brian Goodwin, and allowed four runs on seven hits in five and two-thirds innings, taking the loss. He was optioned back to Reno the next day but was recalled twice more during the season.
He finished 2017 with a 2–3 record and a 5.96 ERA in 24 and two-thirds innings with Arizona. Across 22 Triple-A starts, he went 8–7 with 116 strikeouts, and his late-season major league exposure provided valuable experience before a busy winter of trades.
Tampa Bay Rays (2018–2020)
On February 18, 2018, the Diamondbacks traded Banda to the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-team deal. He made his Rays debut on May 15 against the Kansas City Royals, but on June 4 he was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament that required Tommy John surgery, ending his 2018 season and threatening much of 2019.
After 13 minor league rehab appearances in 2019, Banda returned to the Rays in September. In the shortened 2020 campaign he appeared in only four games before being designated for assignment on August 30. On August 31, 2020, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
San Francisco Giants and New York Mets (2020–2021)
Banda was outrighted off the Giants’ 40-man roster in November 2020 and quickly re-signed on a minor league deal. He struggled to a 3–2 record and a 6.86 ERA in 10 appearances for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats in 2021 before being traded to the New York Mets on July 2, 2021, in exchange for Will Toffey.
With the Mets he pitched in five games, registering a 7.36 ERA with seven strikeouts before being designated for assignment on July 31. The short Mets stint illustrated how quickly opportunities in middle relief can shift in New York.
Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays (2021–2022)
On August 2, 2021, Banda was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He appeared in 25 games for Pittsburgh down the stretch, going 1–2 with a 3.42 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 26 and one-third innings. In 2022 he pitched in 23 games but struggled to a 6.41 ERA before being designated for assignment on June 27.
On July 2, 2022, Banda was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. He pitched in seven games, allowing three runs in six and one-third innings, before being designated for assignment on August 2 and becoming a free agent after rejecting an outright assignment.
Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees (2022)
On August 9, 2022, Banda signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners and pitched for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers before opting out on August 25. Three days later, on August 28, he signed a one-year major league contract with the New York Yankees.
His Yankees tenure was brief. He was designated for assignment on September 3 after allowing three runs on two hits and five walks in two-thirds of an inning across two appearances. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, then elected free agency on October 24.
Washington Nationals and Cleveland Guardians (2023–2024)
Banda signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals on January 4, 2023, and made the Opening Day roster. He appeared in 10 games for Washington, registering a 6.43 ERA, before being designated for assignment on April 30. He spent the remainder of the year with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.
On January 30, 2024, he signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians and posted a 2.12 ERA with 25 strikeouts across 17 innings in 12 games for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. On May 17, 2024, the Guardians traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations, restarting his major league trajectory.
Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2024–2025)
Banda was added to the Dodgers’ major league roster on May 19, 2024, and pitched in an extra-innings game against the Cincinnati Reds that same day. He was placed on the injured list on September 10 after fracturing his left hand, but rejoined the roster on September 26. In 48 games for Los Angeles in 2024, he went 3–2 with a 3.08 ERA in 49 and two-thirds innings.
During the 2024 postseason, Banda was outstanding, pitching eight innings over 10 games and allowing only one run on six hits as the Dodgers won the 2024 World Series. In 2025, he appeared in a team-high 71 games, finishing with a 5–1 record and a 3.18 ERA across 65 innings. He added one scoreless inning in the NLDS and one and two-thirds scoreless innings in the NLCS, and although he allowed six runs in three innings of the 2025 World Series, the Dodgers captured the championship in seven games.
Driving Style and Strengths
Banda works primarily as a left-handed relief pitcher, featuring a fastball that plays well in the mid-90s and a sharp breaking ball that generates swings and misses against left-handed hitters. He has shown particular comfort in high-leverage and extra-inning appearances, attacking hitters early in counts rather than working around them.
Notable Events and Milestones
Banda’s defining milestones include his major league debut against the Washington Nationals in 2017, his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2019, and his back-to-back World Series championships with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 and 2025. His eight-inning, one-run postseason performance in 2024 stands out as one of the most reliable relief stretches of his career.
Anthony Banda Career Wins
Anthony Banda’s win totals have been modest but consistent, reflecting his role as a relief pitcher rather than a starter. His two World Series rings with the Dodgers represent the pinnacle of his major league accomplishments.
Major League Highlights
Banda has posted double-digit major league appearances in every season since 2021, with his heaviest workload coming during the Dodgers’ championship runs. His 2025 campaign, in which he appeared in a team-high 71 games and went 5–1, marked the most extensive regular season of his career.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minors, Banda’s most notable achievement came with the 2015 Visalia Rawhide, when he led the league with 152 strikeouts. He was also a mid-season Southern League All Star in 2016 and a two-time MILB.com Organization All Star.
Anthony Banda Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Banda was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, by his parents, Frank Banda and Danette Banda, alongside four siblings. He has a son who was born in December 2018.
In November 2022, Banda suffered a profound family loss when his brother, Mathew Banda, a 27-year-old Navy veteran, was killed by an intoxicated driver on the Corpus Christi Harbor Bridge. The tragedy occurred during a turbulent stretch of his career and underscored the personal challenges he has navigated alongside his professional journey.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the high point of Banda’s major league career. Used heavily out of the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen, he set a personal standard with 71 appearances, going 5–1 with a 3.18 ERA across 65 innings. His workload reflected the Dodgers’ trust in his ability to handle late-inning and high-leverage assignments.
In the postseason, Banda delivered one scoreless inning during the National League Division Series and one and two-thirds scoreless frames in the National League Championship Series. The 2025 World Series proved more difficult, as he allowed six runs on six hits, including two home runs, over three innings. The Dodgers still secured the championship in seven games, giving Banda his second consecutive ring.
Following the championship, Banda’s future with the Dodgers changed quickly. On February 6, 2026, the Dodgers designated him for assignment, and six days later, on February 12, they traded him to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for international pool salary space, opening a new chapter in his career.
