The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed Ben Rortvedt off waivers earlier this month, which resulted in Anthony Banda getting designated for assignment to clear a spot on their 40-man roster.
The Dodgers had seven days to either place Banda on outright or unconditional release waivers, or find a trade for the left-hander. The latter was expected, and he was eventually sent to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for international bonus pool money.
It wasn’t immediately clear how much bonus pool money would be sent to the Dodgers, but funds must be traded in increments of $250,000, and it allows teams to sign more international prospects in a capped market.
The Twins had an available bonus pool of $7,357,100 for 2026, and they reportedly parted with $500,000 to acquire Banda, via baseball reporter Francys Romero:
The Dodgers received $500,000 in international bonus pool money in exchange for Anthony Banda from the Minnesota Twins, per sources.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) February 12, 2026
The Dodgers entered the 2026 international signing period with $6,679,200 in bonus pool money, which ranked in the middle of the pack, and they have added 22 players thus far, including outfielder Rubel Arias from the Dominican Republic.
With the $500,000 received from the Twins, L.A. now has more wiggle room to continue signing players they may be interested in. An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15.
Anthony Banda thanks Dodgers & fans after trade to Twins
Shortly after being traded to the Twins, Banda shared a heartfelt message to the Dodgers organization and their fans on his Instagram.
Dodgers organization on May 17, 2024, after being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. Before getting to the Dodgers, Banda had spent time with 11 different organizations since he was drafted in 2012.
It wasn’t until he got to L.A. that the left-handed reliever finally found his footing at the MLB level. In his two seasons with the Dodgers, Banda posted a 3.14 ERA in 114.2 innings while helping the club win two World Series titles.
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