Dodgers Pitcher Considered Retirement in Offseason Before Coming to LA

Dodgers pitcher Anthony Banda pitched for seven teams over parts of seven major league seasons before he joined the Dodgers in May 2024.

On the surface, it would seem that finding employment has never been an issue for the 32-year-old left-hander.

Yet Banda had few assurances heading into the 2024 season.

He wasn't even sure he wanted to continue his baseball career.

More news: Dodgers' Dave Roberts Reveals Performance Will Dictate Playing Time as September Looms Banda made that stunning revelation in a conversation with Matt Hannaford, his agent and the president and CEO at Alignd Sports Agency, in a recent episode of the "Most Valuable Agent" podcast .

"As the (2023-24) offseason went, I was like, Man I dont know if I want to do this again.

I really dont.

It was to a point where I was talking about hanging em up," Banda said .

"Im going out there, getting my stuff absolutely pieced up.

This isnt fun.

Im not enjoying striking people out." Banda made only 10 major-league appearances with the Washington Nationals in 2023.

He allowed nine hits, five walks, and five runs in seven innings a shadow of the pitcher who's made 118 appearances (including 10 in the postseason) for the Dodgers the last two seasons.

What motivated Banda to push through his pessimism? A YouTube video, of all things, that had nothing to do with baseball.

I was watching these people turn a van into like a camping van, or like a mini-house," he recalled .

"It was so intriguing.

It wasnt the finished product that was intriguing to me.

It was more the process of it.

I found actual enjoyment of that.

I was like ...

If I can find enjoyment out of this, I know I can find enjoyment out of baseball.

More news: Dodgers Could 'Absolutely' Use Shohei Ohtani Out of Bullpen in Playoffs, Says LA Coach Still, there was little interest among big league teams in signing Banda, Hannaford said, until he threw for scouts at the Tread Athletics complex in North Carolina.

Even then, Banda had to settle for a two-way contract with the Guardians in January 2024.

The contract included an upward mobility clause, Hannaford explained .

If Banda was not promoted to the Guardians' major league roster by May 19, he could leave for any team that was willing to offer him a 26-man roster spot.

Banda had a 2.12 ERA, 0.941 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 17 innings at Triple-A Columbus.

The Dodgers pounced.

The rest is history.

To Banda's credit, he has made the most of his opportunity in Los Angeles by being healthy and mostly effective a rare combination among Dodgers relievers.

But he might not be here without a combination of persistence, luck, and one converted camping van.

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