Pirates A to Z: Lefty reliever Anthony Banda made positive impression on coaching staff

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Miguel Yajure.

Player: Anthony Banda

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Left

Bats: Left

Age: 28

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 230 pounds

2021 MLB statistics: Banda was 2-2 with a 4.28 ERA in 33 2/3 innings over 30 games between the New York Mets and Pirates.

Contract: Not yet eligible for arbitration.

Acquired: Claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Aug. 2.

This past season: Just three days after Anthony Banda was designated for assignment by the Mets, the Pirates picked him up to bolster their bullpen.

The Pirates were in the market for a lefty reliever after sending Austin Davis to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline, so Banda’s availability came at the perfect time for both parties.

Banda was 1-0 with a 7.36 ERA in 7 1/3 innings over five appearances for the Mets and had 10 strikeouts and a 5.23 ERA in 10 1/3 innings for their Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse before the DFA.

“I was obviously excited I didn’t get down too far in the waiver (wire),” Banda told MLB.com. “A team just grabbed me right when I entered waivers, so it was great. It’s good to feel like you’re wanted, but still I’ve got a job to do.”

Banda’s debut didn’t disappoint. He pitched a clean seventh inning in a 7-4 loss at Cincinnati, striking out All-Star first baseman Joey Votto and retiring the side on 11 pitches, eight for strikes.

That made a strong first impression on Pirates manager Derek Shelton.

“When you don’t throw too many, it’s really good,” Shelton said. “I think the thing that stood out was the execution of the breaking ball. We knew the fastball was good. We knew the changeup was good. Then he came right into a really good hitter and executed some good breaking balls to Votto, which kind of stood out.”

As late-season acquisitions go, Banda stood out in the bullpen by not allowing a run in 18 of his 25 appearances. Banda, however, only went multiple innings four times for the Pirates.

Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin mentioned Banda by name as one of the relievers who made “strong impressions” after the trade deadline.

“Guys like Banda coming in, being in different organizations and feeling out different things, and then him coming in and embracing what we’re doing here and doing well,” Marin said, “it’s really good for our guys to be able to see that.”

The future: Shelton was intrigued by adding a veteran left-handed multi-inning reliever to the bullpen, especially after the Pirates opened the season with only one lefty in Sam Howard.

After being traded from Milwaukee to Arizona to Tampa Bay to San Francisco to New York, Banda is looking to find a home and the Pirates are a potential fit. It’s possible he could replace one of the other lefty relievers next season. Howard struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness, and Chasen Shreve enters his final year of arbitration after making $1.5 million last season.

That Pirates’ coaches were complimentary of Banda at season’s end is a positive sign for Banda.