{"id":37472,"date":"2025-03-31T08:17:24","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T08:17:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=37472"},"modified":"2025-03-31T08:17:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T08:17:24","slug":"breaking-dodgers-star-reliever-shocks-fans-reveals-he-nearly-retired-%e2%9a%be%f0%9f%94%a5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=37472","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Dodgers\u2019 Star Reliever Shocks Fans\u2014Reveals He Nearly Retired! \u26be\ud83d\udd25"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Anthony Banda (43) relief pitcher Michael Kopech (45) and relief pitcher Alex Vesia (51) celebrate defeating the New York Yankees during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images \/ Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Anthony Banda has spent less than a full season with the team, but he quickly became a fan favorite.<\/p>\n

Banda was traded to the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations in May 2024. Upon his arrival to L.A., he logged a 3.08 ERA with 50 strikeouts, 18 walks, and two saves. He was arguably one of the best high-leverage relievers in Major League Baseball as he finished the postseason with a 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I found a home,\u201d Banda said in November. \u201cI think, regardless of where I end up, I\u2019m always going to have a special place of L.A. in my heart as far as because of the fans and the support and love that I\u2019ve gotten from them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout this community, I believe that this organization isn\u2019t where they\u2019re at now. I believe we have the best community, the best fans, the best supporters. You know how much they really, really buy into each event, how much they\u2019re in the seats, they\u2019re filling up the stands. I think it really pushed us forward as an organization, as human beings as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Banda recorded four scoreless postseason outings during the Dodgers’ World Series run, but he wasn’t always such a well-known reliever.<\/p>\n

Banda made his\u00a0MLB\u00a0debut in 2017, but had made just one\u00a0Opening Day\u00a0roster prior to his time with the Dodgers.<\/p>\n

In 2023, Banda played just 10 games with the Washington Nationals before being sent to the minors with a 6.43 ERA. At Triple-A Columbus, the veteran\u2019s mark regressed more with a 7.58 ERA.<\/p>\n

Following the 2023 campaign, the left-hander considered retirement after a season full of struggle.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt one point I was already getting ready to hang him up,\u201d Banda told\u00a0Dodger Insider. \u201c(But) it was just that little guy inside was like, \u2018Hey, let\u2019s keep going. Keep going.\u2019 That\u2019s a good way to put it \u2014 I was just trying to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully, Banda chose to persevere and now he is a key reliever for the Dodgers’ bullpen as the team embarks on their journey for another World Series title.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Anthony Banda (43) relief pitcher Michael Kopech (45) and relief pitcher Alex Vesia (51) celebrate… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nBREAKING: Dodgers\u2019 Star Reliever Shocks Fans\u2014Reveals He Nearly Retired! \u26be\ud83d\udd25 - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=37472\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING: Dodgers\u2019 Star Reliever Shocks Fans\u2014Reveals He Nearly Retired! 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