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Ben Joyce is back throwing at Spring Training with the Angels.
The Los Angeles Angels have received positive health news regarding flamethrowing reliever Ben Joyce. New manager Kurt Suzuki told reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that the right-hander is throwing without issue. Joyce’s status for Opening Day remains uncertain.
Joyce was lost for the remainder of the 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in May. The recovery timeline put his status in doubt for the upcoming campaign, but his return to the mound is positive news. The fact that Joyce hasn’t been placed on the 60-day IL also bodes well for his availability early in the year.
The 25-year-old Joyce has battled injuries since getting selected by the Angels in the third round of the 2022 draft. He hit the 60-day IL midway through his first full professional season with ulnar neuritis. Joyce dealt with right shoulder inflammation to close 2024. The issue popped up again early in the 2025 season, which eventually led to surgery.
Ben Joyce Has Been Effective When Healthy
Performance hasn’t been a problem for Joyce. The reliever has a solid 3.12 ERA across 49 innings in the big leagues. As a minor leaguer, he’s posted eye-popping strikeout numbers while lighting up the radar gun. His strikeout rates have been more pedestrian in the pros, but he hasn’t had any issue consistently getting hitters out at the highest level.
Joyce has averaged over 100 mph on his fastball in each of his three MLB seasons. He’s supplemented the blistering four-seamer with a sinker and a slider. Joyce has also used the occasional changeup against lefties, if you can call it that. The pitch still averages more than 92 mph.
The 2024 campaign represents Joyce’s healthiest stretch at the big-league level. He appeared in 31 games with the Angels, recording four saves, eight holds, and a couple of wins. Joyce notched a career-best 13.7% swinging-strike rate, though he only punched out hitters at a 23.2% clip. He emerged as L.A.’s top closer after Carlos Estevez was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline. Joyce picked up all four of his saves over the final two months of the season.
Closer Gig Up for Grabs
The Angels have brought in a lengthy list of veteran relievers to compete for late-inning work in the bullpen. With 2025 closer Kenley Jansen leaving in free agency, the club went out and grabbed Kirby Yates, Drew Pomeranz, and Jordan Romano. Pomeranz is more of a lefty specialist, but Yates and Romano both have considerable 9th-inning experience.
The wild card in the race to secure the closer job is the lone returnee, Robert Stephenson. The righty inked a three-year, $33 million contract with the Angels prior to the 2024 season. The commitment has yet to pan out for the club, as injuries have limited Stephenson to just 12 games over the past two seasons.
Robert Stephenson said he dealt with a nerve issue and thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms this offseason but said he feels good now and is throwing a bullpen later this week. Said he’s about a week behind the other pitchers but plans to be ready for Opening Day.
Similar to Joyce, the 32-year-old Stephenson has garnered positive reports as Spring Training begins. Right elbow inflammation cut his 2025 campaign short, and Bollinger mentioned other issues popping up over the offseason, but Stephenson appears on track to break camp with the team. He’ll compete with Yates and Romano to finish games for the team.
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