Sports
Dodgers pitcher Anthony Banda wants to make clear how he broke his hand
The emotional pain was far worse than the physical pain for Anthony Banda, the Dodgers reliever who suffered a hairline fracture in his left hand when he hit what manager Dave Roberts called a “solid object” with his pitching hand in frustration after giving up two runs in a Sept. 9 game against the Chicago Cubs.
“It was very embarrassing, very shameful,” said Banda, a mid-May acquisition from the Cleveland Guardians who had carved out a higher leverage role by going 2-2 with a 3.23 ERA in 46 games before going on the 15-day injured list. “I really felt like I let everybody down.”
As sheepish as Banda felt about the incident, he wanted to make an important clarification.
“I didn’t punch anything,” Banda, 31, said. “I hit the outside of my fist against a paper towel dispenser out of frustration, and apparently, I hit the weakest bone just right, to where it fractured.
“I’m not saying that’s OK to do, but it’s not as bad as what people thought as far as me punching something straight on. I don’t do that with anything, because there’s a risk. I look at it as more of a freak accident, but yes, it was a learning experience.”
Once the swelling in the hand subsided, Banda was able to resume playing catch four days after suffering the injury. He threw his first bullpen session Thursday and followed that with a 30-pitch bullpen workout before Saturday night’s game against Colorado in which his fastball was clocked between 94-96 mph and his slider was sharp.
Banda is scheduled to throw live batting practice on Monday, and Roberts said he expects Banda to be activated when he is eligible to come off the IL either Wednesday or Thursday.
“The most frustrating thing is this entire time, I didn’t have any pain or soreness, just some swelling in the hand,” Banda said. “But the fact that it’s responding well and I haven’t lost any ability to spin my pitches or add velocity is a huge plus. It was a big scare, but at the end of the day, when I get active, I want to put it behind me and do everything I can to help this team.”
Part of the healing process was apologizing to his bullpen mates.
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“They understand the frustration and emotion part of it,” Banda said. “They obviously weren’t pleased with the result of what happened, but they were supportive. They had my back. A lot of them were texting me throughout the week, on the road trip, asking me how I was doing. That in itself shows a lot. I know they’re eager to get me back.”
Another other part of the healing process was owning the mistake and learning from it.
“It’s a very competitive game, and this won’t be the last time I blow up, but I have to understand that the consequences are real, that anything can happen in those weak moments, and those are things that will potentially haunt me for the rest of my career.
“I’m a human being, I make mistakes, and this was a costly one. I’m not looking for sympathy — this was on me, and I’ve owned it. We all do stupid things, and I hate the idea that I did this to myself, but as long as we learn from them we can move on.”
Banda, who has two saves, 50 strikeouts and 18 walks in 47 ⅓ innings, gives the Dodgers a second left-hander in addition to Alex Vesia, and he could play a critical postseason role for a bullpen that will likely carry heavy workload in support of the team’s injury ravaged rotation.
“This is something that we all play for — to be in a Dodgers uniform and playing in the playoffs is special,” said Banda, who has not pitched in a postseason game. “So I’m just ready to be back. Man, I’m driving myself crazy. My family is getting fed up with my hard-headedness. The training staff is. Everybody is. I’m just ready to get back.”
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If the Super Bowl marks the end of the NFL season, WrestleMania is when WWE’s year is over.
There is no offseason in WWE, and when waves of departures hit the company, it hits harder than a Gunther knife-edge chop.
Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross appear during SmackDown at First Horizon Center in Savannah, Ga., on May 23, 2025. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Fightful and BodySlam both reported several superstars who left WWE on Friday ahead of “Friday Night SmackDown.” Some wrestlers confirmed their departures on social media.
Those who left included: Alba Fyre, Aleister Black, Alex Shelley, Andre Chase, Apollo Crews, Bo Dallas, Chris Island, Chris Sabin, Dante Chen, Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Kairi Sane, Luca Crusifino, Malik Blade, Nikki Cross, Santos Escobar, Sirena Linton, Trill London, Tyra Mae Steele, Tyriek Igwe, Tyson Dupont, Zelina Vegas and Zoey Stark.
The WWE roster is loaded as it is with several NXT stars getting called up this week.
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Sol Ruca made her presence felt on Raw on Monday when she challenged women’s champion Liv Morgan. The Fatal Influence faction of Jacy Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley took aim at the women’s tag team division on SmackDown on Friday. Ricky Saints and Blake Monroe also had vignettes for their upcoming appearances.
Meanwhile, former NXT champion Oba Femi has been on main WWE programming for the last few weeks and beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42.
Kairi Sane enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on April 13, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega make their way to the ring during SmackDown at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 3, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
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It’s not the end of the road for any of the recent departures. Several former WWE stars have made waves elsewhere. Some have even returned over the course of time.
Pitching coach Gus Rico was having dinner on Thursday when head coach Matt Mowry of Birmingham High complimented him on closer Aidan Martinez recording all seven of his outs on strikeouts.
“I had no idea,” Rico said. “Everything is a blur when I’m calling pitches.”
Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024. He touched 92 mph with his fastball and has been improving each week, getting better command and walking fewer batters. He has 28 strikeouts in 15 innings and three saves.
Birmingham is one game behind El Camino Real in the West Valley League standings going into showdown week, playing El Camino Real on Wednesday at on the road and Friday at home. The Patriots need a sweep to have a chance at their first league title under Mowry, who prefers winning City titles.
With Martinez throwing so well, it would be a good strategy for opposing teams to make sure they are leading going into the last two innings.
“He’s got a bright future,” Rico said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game.
Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season.
Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.
Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)
After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.
Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
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But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.
Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.
Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.
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