Dodgers make trade with Mets to acquire pitcher from early-season controversy

The Los Angeles Dodgers' tiny trade for lefty reliever Anthony Banda from the Cleveland Guardians has already paid dividends for them. Banda, who only pitched seven innings in the majors last season for the Washington Nationals, made his season debut with the Dodgers just two days after being traded to LA for cash. The left-hander came in during the final game of the Dodgers' series against the Cincinnati Reds in extra innings and was perfect, allowing no hits and striking out one.

It's that Dodgers pitching magic that's probably pretty infuriating for opposing fanbases to watch, but LA looks like they're going to try to wield it again on yet another reliever pickup.

Yohan Ramírez, almost as well-traveled as Banda, came over from the New York Mets on Monday in exchange for cash. He only pitched 8 1/3 innings for New York, but he might be familiar to fans due to his involvement in an early-season dustup between the Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.

A day after Rhys Hoskins slid into second, taking Jeff McNeil's legs out from under him and nearly inciting a brawl after pulling the "crybaby" face on the Mets, Ramírez threw behind Hoskins and was swiftly ejected from the game.

Dodgers acquire reliever Yohan Ramírez, ejected from a game after his involvement in early-season Mets-Brewers drama

The trade will make the Dodgers the third team Ramírez has belonged to this season alone. He was with the Mets to start the year, was DFA'ed and traded to the Baltimore Orioles on April 11, and then less than a month later, the O's sent him back to Queens. Ramírez was DFA'ed again by the Mets on May 15 before getting picked up by the Dodgers. Between Baltimore and New York, he's pitched 14 1/3 total innings so far with a 6.91 ERA.

But the Dodgers have picked up pitchers who were in worse shape. Banda had a 6.43 ERA over those seven innings with the Nats last year, and he still managed to come up in a huge spot for the Dodgers on Sunday afternoon just days after being traded.

With the Dodgers still clearly very option/recall happy, Ramírez might not even have to spend too much time in the minors before he gets called up and thrown into a high-leverage situation like Banda was. Hopefully, his Dodgers debut will go just as swimmingly.

More LA Dodgers News from Dodgers Way