Joyce's Velocity Saves
Ben Joyce Ignites Angels' Bullpen with Blazing Fastball After Shoulder Surgery Return
Ben Joyce is back — and he's throwing heat. The Angels right-hander fired a 104.5 mph fastball on Saturday, the fastest pitch by any MLB reliever in nearly two years, according to OCRegister. The blazing heater came in a 1-0 win over the Kansas City Royals, helping Los Angeles lock down their 19th save of the season.
The Angels have blown more saves this year than they've saved — a grim stat for any bullpen. But Joyce's return is giving the team a reason for hope, Daily Breeze reported. He's been on the mound for just five games since coming back from shoulder surgery, and he's already throwing the 19 fastest pitches by any Angel this season.
Joyce's 104.5 MPH Heater Makes MLB History
Joyce's first pitch to John Rave on Saturday clocked in at 104.5 mph. That's the fastest throw by a relief pitcher since Joyce himself hit 105.5 mph against the Dodgers' Tommy Edman on Sept. 3, 2024, according to SB Sun. In other words, Joyce broke his own recent record for the hardest pitch thrown by a reliever.
That kind of velocity is rare at any level of baseball. Joyce has shown he can hit triple digits consistently. In just five appearances since returning, he's thrown all 19 of the Angels' hardest pitches this season, Press Telegram reported. No one else on the roster is even close.
Shoulder Surgery Sidelined Joyce for Most of 2025
Joyce missed a large chunk of the 2025 season. He had surgery in May to fix a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder — a serious injury that often takes months to heal. He only just returned to the active roster this month, Daily News reported.
The fact that Joyce is already throwing this hard so soon after surgery is notable. Labrum tears can rob pitchers of velocity permanently. So far, there's no sign of that with Joyce. He looks as fast as ever — maybe faster.
Angels' Bullpen Has Blown More Saves Than It's Locked Down
The Angels' bullpen has been one of the worst in baseball at closing out games. The team has blown more saves than it has converted this season, according to OCRegister. That's a critical weakness for any team trying to stay competitive in a tough AL West division.
Saturday's 1-0 win was exactly what manager Kurt Suzuki's squad needed. Suzuki praised Joyce's performance after the game. A scoreless, high-velocity outing against Kansas City was a small but meaningful step forward for a bullpen that's desperately needed a reliable arm at the back end, Press Enterprise reported.
Kikuchi Struggles While Joyce Provides a Bright Spot
Not everything went well for the Angels this week. Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi had another rough rehab start, according to Daily Breeze. Kikuchi has been working his way back but hasn't found his footing yet. His struggles put even more pressure on the rest of the staff to perform.
That's what makes Joyce's return so important. The Angels need arms they can count on. Right now, Joyce is the one guy in the bullpen who's giving them that — 104 mph at a time.
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