Skip to main content

Dodgers cut reliever Anthony Banda after 2 World Series titles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers designated reliever Anthony Banda for assignment on Friday after the left-hander won two consecutive World Series rings with the team.

The 32-year-old Banda had a 5-1 record with a 3.19 ERA in 71 games last season. He had an 8-3 record with a 3.14 ERA over two seasons.

Banda has been in the majors for parts of nine seasons with Arizona, Tampa Bay, the New York Mets, Pittsburgh, Toronto, the New York Yankees and Washington. He is a combined 15-9 with 4.44 ERA in 209 games.

The Dodgers claimed catcher Ben Rortvedt off waivers after he was designated for assignment by the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old returns to the Dodgers, which he first joined on July 31 via a trade from Tampa Bay. Rortvedt played 18 games, hitting .224 with one home run and four RBI with Los Angeles. He helped the Dodgers’ starting rotation to an MLB-leading 2.17 ERA in September. He appeared in four playoff games last season.

Rortvedt had previous stints with Minnesota, the Yankees and Tampa Bay.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

The arrival of AJ Dybantsa gives Wizards hope

For the first time in almost a half-century, the Washington Wizards could be closer to contending for an NBA title with the arrival of AJ Dybantsa. The team drafted the 6-foot-9 forward with the first pick of the 2026 NBA draft after finishing as one of the worst teams in the league in the past three years. They got the No. 1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery in May for the first time since 2010 -- when they drafted John Wall. The Wizards hope, with the arrival of Dybantsa, that they can start winning games and competing for the playoffs with a chance to win their first championship since 1978. In the past three seasons, they finished with a combined record of 50-196. “We’re definitely getting a difference maker on the basketball court. There’s no doubt about that,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said. “What I would want our fans to know night one is that he is a worker. He is a passionate person who loves basketball and will continue to work and get better.”
Read Next Story