Anthony Banda envisioned his big league career would be over after being released by the Washington Nationals after the 2023 season. After a trade to the Dodgers from the Cleveland Guardians, Banda resurrected his career and rightfully earned himself a spot as a mainstay in the bullpen. The key change that helped Banda stay afloat at the major league level was the reintroduction of his slider, and with the help of pitching coach Connor McGuinness, Banda held opposing hitters to a batting average of just .154 last year, and has already used his slider 33 percent of the time while keeping hitters at a .125 average against it.