The Dodgers designate lefty reliever Anthony Banda for assignment, offering the Cubs a potential bargain with proven stats and a cheap contract.
The Chicago Cubs roster is mostly set for the 2026 season.
With the big signing of Alex Bregman, a trade involving Edward Cabrera, and a bunch of new bullpen additions, the Cubs don’t really have the spot to add another player. The 26-man roster is basically set outside of that fourth outfielder spot.
However, it wouldn’t hurt to add another reliever ahead of Spring Training, especially one that could really help the Cubs’ bullpen this upcoming season.
On Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers designated left-handed reliever Anthony Banda for assignment. The Dodgers must trade, release, or put Banda on waivers within the next seven days. This move comes after Los Angeles claimed Ben Rortvedt off waivers.
Even though the Cubs have already added Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey to the bullpen this offseason, adding Banda to the mix would not be a bad move by the North Siders.
Banda has carried a steady ERA in each of the past two seasons with the Dodgers. He finished with a 3.08 ERA and 50 strikeouts across 49 ⅔ innings pitched in 2024 and had a 3.18 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 71 appearances last year.
While he struggled throughout the 2025 postseason, Banda was a key part of the Dodgers' 2024 World Series win. The southpaw allowed just one run across eight innings pitched during the 2024 postseason.
As a result, Banda would be a solid pickup for the Cubs.
He is only set to make $1.63 million this upcoming season and was fantastic against left-handed batters last year. Left-handed hitters slashed just .153/.241/.255 with two home runs against Banda in 2025.
His metrics also suggest that he should remain a key bullpen arm in 2026. His expected ERA (3.61), expected batting average against (.206), fastball velocity (95.9 mph), whiff rate (27.2%), and hard-hit rate (38.6%) all ranked in the upper half of the league.
For a pitcher who is set to make only $1.63 million in 2026, the Cubs should look to pick him up. That $1.63 million price tag feels like a bargain for a pitcher who has finished with a sub-3.20 ERA in consecutive years.
Banda would give the Cubs three potential left-handed arms out of the bullpen. He would join Milner and Caleb Thielbar on this year’s roster, making him a potential nice fit alongside them in the bullpen.
Acquiring Banda makes a lot of sense for the Cubs.