SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels flame-throwing reliever Ben Joyce will miss the remainder of the season after getting shoulder surgery on Wednesday, the team announced.
The team declined to say what injury Joyce suffered, or what surgery he received.
The 24-year-old righty went on the injured list on April 11 with shoulder inflammation. After attempting to throw in late April, he said he felt discomfort. Following a second attempt on May 6, he was placed on the 60-day IL, days ahead of the team’s announcement that Joyce had surgery.
Joyce has a long history of injuries at the MLB and amateur levels. He had Tommy John surgery in 2021 while at the University of Tennessee. In 2023, he suffered from ulnar neuritis, causing him to miss three months. He ended the 2024 season on the IL, as well.
Ben Joyce out for the season.
There was hope initially that this was minor. But it was not.
Injuries have been a big part of Joyce’s career. https://t.co/SQqysQ3HG5
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) May 14, 2025
Joyce — expected to be the Angels’ setup man — had four shutout appearances to start the season. However, he allowed four hits and three runs while recording just one out against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 8. His fastball velocity dipped considerably in that outing.
Best known for his fastball, Joyce’s right arm has reared back for as high as 105.5 mph last season, the hardest-thrown pitch in the big leagues. The Angels had a bobblehead night earlier this month to commemorate the feat.
“I’ve never seen a fastball like that,” veteran slugger J.D. Martinez said last year after striking out on a 104.7 mph Joyce heater. “That was the fastest fastball I’ve ever faced.”
Joyce has said previously that he believes he could throw the ball even harder, perhaps eclipsing 106 or even 107 mph. This injury, and the mounting health concerns, have caused him to rethink his approach.
“At the end of the day, I just want to be healthy,” he said on Friday. “I want to contribute to the team. I’m not really thinking about what the velo is. If I can pitch whatever that is, I want to do it.
“It definitely makes me rethink how I approach things on a daily basis.”
The Angels’ bullpen has been the worst in baseball in his absence. It has a 7.07 ERA, and has allowed a league-most 28 home runs. Closer Kenley Jansen is 7-for-7 in save chances but has struggled in his other outings, posting a 6.55 ERA over 11 innings this season.
(Photo: David Banks / Imagn Images)