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44
Los Angeles Angels · Relief Pitcher

Ben
Joyce

RP · #44 Age 24 · Throws R · Bats R · 6'5" 225 lbs The Real Closer
ST ERA
2026 Spring
ST IP
2026 Spring
ST WHIP
2026 Spring
105+
mph
Peak velo
May/Jun
Return
Target window
B+
Grade
Shoulder
Surgery 2025
🌵 2026 Spring Training — Updated Nightly
Apps
IP
ERA
WHIP
K
BB
SV
W-L
Career Statistics
YearGIPERAKBBSVWHIPK/9
20232527.13.29311431.3510.2
20244446.02.93482161.179.4
202544.02.255201.0011.3
2026 ST

Triple-Digit Velocity. The Closer This Team Has Been Missing.

Ben Joyce throws the ball harder than almost anyone in baseball. A 105+ mph fastball out of the bullpen is not a pitch hitters are comfortable with — it is a pitch that ends at-bats. His 2024 season (2.93 ERA, 44 appearances) showed exactly what he is when healthy: a legitimate ninth-inning arm who changes the dynamic of a late-inning game.

He underwent shoulder surgery in May 2025. That is why the Angels are managing him with extreme caution this spring. He is throwing clean, which is the first critical checkpoint. The return target is May or June — the exact window depends on how his arm responds to increasing workloads across March and April.

When Joyce is ready, he gets the 9th inning. Full stop. Yates holds it down until then. That transition needs to happen smoothly and without ego — Yates needs to be informed of the plan upfront, and the organization needs to commit to it rather than letting the situation become ambiguous.

The shoulder surgery is a serious injury and the comeback needs to be managed with zero shortcuts. Pitchers who have thrown 105 mph put extraordinary stress on their arm structures. The Angels cannot rush him back in April because the bullpen is struggling — they need to let him build up correctly, confirm the velocity and command are both back, and then unleash him.