Months before Anthony Banda struck a paper towel dispenser out of frustration in the Los Angeles Dodgers clubhouse, he hit rock bottom.
He contemplated retirement this past winter and took a month off from throwing.
During that break, he volunteered as a coach at his nephew’s high school, which rekindled his passion for the game and allowed him to throw hard once more. By May, he was signed and subsequently traded.
As the Dodgers prepare for the National League Division Series, Banda is a valuable member of the bullpen relying on a pitch he’d never thrown in his life until landing in Los Angeles.