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Player Outlook
Ben Joyce's velocity is no secret, but he struggled to control his triple-digit fastball last season. He walked 14 over 15.2 innings at Double-A before the Angels fast-tracked him to the majors with a call up in late May. The 23-year-old logged five appearances with Los Angeles and topped out at 103 mph on the radar gun before experienicing ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. A trip to the injured list was necessary and Joyce missed three months of action. The 6-foot-5 right-hander returned in September to appear in seven more contests, finishing the season with a 5.40 ERA, 1.80 WHIP and 10:9 K:BB over 10 innings. He also tacked on one win and four holds with his first taste of big-league, high-leverage action. Joyce has the makings of a future closer and could hold some fantasy value even if he's not getting save chances due to his potential to rack up strikeouts. However, if his control issues persist, he may have trouble ascending the Angels' leverage ladder in 2024.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
ip
Innings Pitched
w
Wins
l
Losses
sv
Saves
so
Strikeouts
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
era
Earned Run Average
whip
Walks and Hits Allowed Per Inning
2024 0.00 0.00
2023 121 10.0 1 1 10 9 5.40 1.80
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Fantasy Performance by Week
3%
Roster
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Fantasy News

  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Optioned to Double-A

    The Angels optioned Joyce to Double-A Rocket City on Friday. The hard-throwing reliever held an 8.59 ERA and 6:9 K:BB over 7.1 innings this spring. Joyce could still be a key cog in the Angels' bullpen at some point this season, but he'll work on tightening things up in the minors first.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Rebounding from early spring rust

    After yielding five earned runs and five walks over his initial 1.1 innings this spring, Joyce has since allowed two earned runs and two walks over his subsequent six frames. Joyce is expected to be part of the Angels' bullpen on Opening Day, but there may have been some initial doubt about his readiness after he struggled to harness his control in the early portions of Cactus League play. The flamethrower has since settled down, with his most recent outing being a scoreless one-inning appearance against the Cubs on Saturday. Joyce's improved results have coincided with a lowering of his strikeout rate -- over his past five frames, he's struck out a modest three batters. Though he consistently throws a triple-digit fastball, these results may suggest that the key to Joyce's success in the majors may be him learning how to use his impressive heater to generate poor contact rather than always relying on punching batters out.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Battling control this spring

    Through two Cactus League appearances this spring, Joyce has given up five earned runs on three hits and five walks while striking out two batters over 1.1 innings. It's been a struggle for the fireballing reliever early in spring action, as he's had trouble finding the strike zone. In his first game, which came against the Giants on Feb. 26, Joyce served up three walks and a homer to yield four runs while getting just one out. He was able to complete a full inning his next time out but still gave up two walks, two hits and a run. Joyce issued nine walks in 10 innings in his first taste of the majors last year, and he was only slightly better at corralling his command in the minors. The right-hander's ability to throw triple-digit heat has him tabbed as a future closer and gives him a good chance of landing an Opening Day bullpen spot this season, but he'll need to get much better at limiting walks eventually if he's to find substantial big-league success.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Back from 60-day IL

    Joyce (elbow) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Sunday. The right-hander has been sidelined since early June by an elbow injury, and he's been cleared to rejoin the Halos after a two-game rehab assignment with Single-A Inland Empire. Joyce is one of the organization's top prospects and allowed two earned runs with a 5:4 K:BB over four frames in his first taste of the big leagues before going down with the injury.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Moved to 60-day IL

    Joyce (elbow) was transferred Thursday from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. This is a procedural move to clear out a 40-man roster spot following the Angels' trade Wednesday for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. Joyce has been out since June 10 and will be sidelined through at least mid-August due to ulnar neuritis in his right elbow.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Set to resume throwing

    Joyce (elbow) is scheduled to play catch Monday on flat ground, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. It'll be his first time picking up a baseball since he went on the injured list June 10 due to right ulnar neuritis. Joyce told reporters last week that he no longer has numbness and tingling in his fingers. If all continues to go smoothly, the hard-throwing youngster could be ready to return to the Angels' bullpen sometime in mid-July.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Currently undergoing MRI

    Joyce (hand) is an undergoing an MRI, and the results aren't expected to be available until after Saturday's game against the Mariners, Erica Weston of Bally Sports West reports. Joyce is not on the lineup card for Saturday's game versus Seattle, so it's likely he'll be placed on the injured list regardless of the results. The right-hander left Friday's appearance without getting an out while dealing with hand irritation and numbness in his fingers. Gerardo Reyes has been recalled from Triple-A to take Joyce's place on the roster.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Expected to be placed on IL

    Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters after Friday's win over Seattle that Joyce (hand) is expected to be placed on the injured list prior to Saturday's game against the Mariners, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. Joyce left Friday's game without recording an out while experiencing irritation in his right hand, and he also reportedly felt some numbness in his fingers. The flame-throwing right-hander is likely to miss at last two weeks, but as Fletcher notes, Joyce won't have a clear timeline until he undergoes more testing Saturday.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Leaves with hand irritation

    Joyce left Friday's game against the Mariners with right hand irritation, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. Joyce left with a trainer after issuing a walk to Teoscar Hernandez and not being able to record an out in the outing. The right-hander will likely need to undergo further testing, and he should be considered day-to-day until the Angels provide further update on his status.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Call-up official

    The Angels selected Joyce's contract from Double-A Rocket City on Sunday. Joyce will head to the big leagues less than a year after the organization selected the right-hander in the third round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. The right-hander boasts a fastball that can reach the triple digits with regularity, and he's registered a 3.27 ERA and 17:6 K:BB over his last 11 innings at Double-A. The 22-year-old has dealt with command issues at times, but he has the stuff to provide immediate help to the Los Angeles bullpen. He could get a chance to work in a high-leverage role for the Angels, though he may first have to prove himself in middle-relief situations.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Shows unsteady control in Double-A

    Joyce walked four batters in two-thirds of an inning in a Double-A game for Rocket City on Saturday. In one of the most unique combined no-hitters to date, Rocket City took a 7-5 loss in the seven-inning affair. Joyce came in to finish off the no-no with his team up 3-0 in the seventh, but he allowed a run on four walks before a two-out error by Jeremiah Jackson in center field allowed three runs to cross the plate. Joyce garnered preseason buzz thanks to his 104 mph fastball and 10 strikeouts over 6.2 innings, but control issues were evident as he also walked six over that span. The Angels' bullpen has been middle-of-the road with a 3.62 ERA so far this season, and Joyce's name tends to come up as a potential call-up whenever an upgrade is discussed. However, he'll likely need to demonstrate improved control before the big club summons him to majors.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Avoiding altitude at Double-A

    Joyce will open the year with Double-A Rocket City due to the way the altitude in Salt Lake impacts pitching development, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports. For a pitcher who was the talk of the Angels' bullpen during spring training and didn't get reassigned until this past weekend, it would have seemed likely for Joyce to open the year at Triple-A. As Blum notes, Chase Silseth was held at Double-A last year before getting promoted to the majors, so this is a tactic the Angels like to use with young pitchers given the alternative of sending them to the Pacific Coast League. Joyce is a strong candidate to pitch his way to the majors if he stays healthy and could be the Angels' long-term closer.
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  • Angels' Ben Joyce: Reassigned to minor-league camp

    Joyce was reassigned to minor-league camp by the Angels on Friday. Joyce showed off his impressive fastball during his time in camp with the Angels -- clocking as high as 104 mph on radar guns -- but he also walked five over six appearances to suggest his command isn't quite big-league ready. The former University of Tennessee star will open in the upper levels, and he could be an option for the Angels' bullpen before the end of 2023.
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