Anthony Bender #37

He and his wife, Keisha, welcomed their first child, in August 2025...His family resides in Jupiter, Fla...Anthony and his wife volunteered at the Marlins’ 17th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution, sponsored by Love and Tito’s, on Nov. 21, 2025, at loanDepot park...Was originally selected by Kansas City in the 20th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Santa Rosa Junior College...Can ride a unicycle...After retiring from baseball, would like to complete his college degree...After working his first job with his uncle as a teenager, Bender saved up enough money to buy himself a truck on Craigslist. When he arrived at the DMV to register the 1987 Ford Ranger he just purchased for a little over $1000, he found out that the vehicle was flagged as a stolen truck. After contacting the original owner, he signed the truck over to him but it then broke down three weeks later. Bender then sold the scraps to a new buyer.

2025

Posted a 3-5 record and career-best 2.16 ERA (12 ER/50.0 IP) in 51 appearances with Miami before seeing his season get cut short due to injury...Made third career Opening Day roster (2022, 2024, 2025)...Placed on the 15-day Injured List on Aug. 19, retro to Aug. 18 with a right tibial stress reaction. Was transferred to the 60-day IL on Sept. 1 and missed the remainder of the season...Also missed three games on the Paternity List from Aug. 9-10...Led the Marlins bullpen in ERA and ranked sixth in the NL at the time of his IL placement. His .177 opponent’s AVG (32x181) also led the ‘pen and ranked third among NL relievers...Did not allow a home run through his first 24 appearances (March 29-May 31) until allowing home runs in back-to-back appearances to start June, and three total in the month...Held right-handed hitters to a .159 AVG (17x107) and .452 OPS and left-handed hitters to a .203 AVG (15x74) and .679 OPS. Per Baseball Savant, ranked first among all MLB pitchers (min. 300 pitches thrown) in opponents’ AVG off his sweeper (.093). It generated a run value of 11, the third-highest in MLB behind only BOS G. Crochet and PHI J. Luzardo...Had the second-longest scoreless streak for a Marlins reliever this season, going 14-straight appearances without allowing a run from June 22-July 27...Owned a 0.63 WHIP and .087 AVG (4x46) during span...Converted four saves in seven opportunities, his most since a career-high six saves in 2022. Was one of six Marlins relievers with at least three saves...His two-inning win on June 28 at Arizona was his longest appearance out of the Marlins' bullpen since Aug. 29, 2021, vs. Cincinnati.

2024

Went 5-2 with a 4.08 ERA (24 ER/53.0 IP) across 59 relief appearances with Miami in his first action since Aug. 2022...His 59 appearances and 15 holds were both tied for the team-lead (with A. Nardi), while he led Marlins relievers in wins (five), ranked third in innings (53.0) and fourth in strikeouts (59)...From May 21-Aug. 8, went 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA (3 ER/24.2 IP) in 29 games, walking five batters against 25 strikeouts in this span and holding opponents to a .169 AVG (15-for-89)...After a blown save on Aug. 10 vs. SD (1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R/3 ER, BB, 2 SO, HR), was placed on the the 15-day Injured List with a right shoulder impingement. Missed 22 games from Aug. 12-Sept. 7...In nine appearances to finish the season after being reinstated from the Injured List on Sept. 7, owned a 4.50 ERA (4 ER/8.0 IP), allowing runs in three of his appearances. Walked five batters against nine strikeouts...Recorded one save in five opportunities. The lone save came in the club’s season finale on Sept. 29 at TOR. Tossed 1.1 innings with one walk and two strikeouts, marking his first save since April 30, 2022 vs. SEA and his second career four-out save (also April 27, 2022 at WSH)...Went 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA (7 ER/25.2 IP) in 29 appearances away with 10 walks and 26 strikeouts while going 3-1 with a 5.60 ERA (17 ER/27.1 IP) in 30 appearances at home with eight walks and 33 strikeouts...Left-handed batters hit .311 (23-for-74) with an .866 OPS against him, while he held right-handed batters to a .208 AVG (27-for-130) and .558 OPS. 

2023

Missed the entire 2023 season in recovery from “Tommy John” surgery.

2022

Anthony Wayne Bender made 22 appearances in an injury-shortened season, posting a 3.26 ERA (19.1 IP/7 ER). 17 of his 22 outings were scoreless...Missed 64 games with back stiffness from May 25 - Aug. 2. Made six relief outings in return before suffering a right elbow strain that landed him back on the injured list for the remainder of the season. Underwent Tommy John surgery on Aug. 30 and is expected to miss all of 2023...In his six appearances from Aug. 2-13, pitched 5.1 scoreless innings in which he allowed 0 hits and three walks with four strikeouts...Converted six of eight save opportunities, all coming in April.

2021

Went 3-2 with a 2.79 ERA, 71 strikeouts and three saves in his first Major League season in 2021. Recorded his first career save vs. LAD on July 5. Became the first rookie in Marlins history to record his first career save against the defending World Series champion...Started his MLB career with 21.1 innings in 21 games without allowing an earned run, the fourth-longest streak to start a career in MLB history...Became the only Marlins reliever in club history to strike out all six batters faced in 2.0 innings pitched July 2 at Atlanta...Threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts in his MLB debut May 5 vs. Arizona...48 of 60 outings this season were scoreless.

2020

Anthony Wayne Bender spent the 2020 season with the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association...Went 2-1 with a 5.48 ERA in 22 games. Pitched 21.1 innings and struck out 25.

2019

Began the 2019 season with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association. Did not allow a run in 3.2 innings of work...Signed by the Milwaukee Brewers on May 29. Pitched at Single-A, Advance-A and Double-A. Finished the season 2-3 with a 1.49 ERA in 36.1 innings across all three levels.

2018

As a member of the Kansas City Royals organization in 2018, pitched in 30 games (nine starts) for Advanced-A Wilmington. Went 6-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 93.1 innings.

2017

Pitched in 24 games (nine starts) between Single-A Lexington and Advanced-A Wilmington in 2017. Finished the season 5-6 with a 3.96 ERA in 77.1 innings.

2016

Selected by Kansas City in the 20th round of the 2016 Draft from Santa Rosa Junior College...Pitched in nine games for the Arizona League Royals. Finished the season 2-0 with a 3.03 ERA in 32.2 innings.