Joyce earned a hold with a scoreless inning against Cleveland on Sunday. He walked one batter and didn't collect any strikeouts.
Joyce was activated from the 60-day IL earlier Sunday after missing three months with an elbow injury. The rookie didn't have pinpoint control in his return to game action -- he threw just seven of 15 pitches for strikes -- but was able to work a scoreless frame around a two-out walk. Joyce is among the organization's top pitching prospects and should get a good look as the non-contending Angels play out the string down the stretch.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Back from 60-day IL
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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: Starts rehab assignment
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Joyce (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Single-A Inland Empire on Tuesday, striking out one batter and allowing one hit over a scoreless inning.
Joyce's appearance for Inland Empire was his first at any level in nearly three months as he works his way back from ulnar neuritis in his right elbow. Given the long layoff, the hard-throwing right-hander will likely require at least another rehab outing or two before being reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Not throwing from mound
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Joyce (elbow) has been playing catch but hasn't thrown off a mound recently, MLB.com reports.
Joyce tossed from a mound July 18 while rehabbing in Arizona, his first time doing so since going on the injured list June 10. However, the rookie reliever was pulled back from mound work soon thereafter, and he's again throwing only from flat ground. It's unclear if Joyce has experienced a significant setback, but even if the slowing down in his throwing progression was only precautionary, he's expected to be at least two weeks away from being ready to return to the Angels.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Moved to 60-day IL
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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: Won't throw off mound for 3-4 weeks
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Joyce (elbow) will continue his rehab in Arizona but isn't expected to be able to pitch off a mound for at least three weeks, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Joyce recently resumed throwing on flat ground after going on the injured list June 10 due to right ulnar neuritis. Though the rookie reliever appears to be making progress, he won't be rushed in his rehab and isn't slated to see mound work until the final week of July at the earliest. With that timeframe in mind, Joyce is unlikely to be ready to return to the big-league staff until sometime in August or September.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Set to resume throwing
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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: Numbness gone from fingers
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Joyce (elbow) said Tuesday that he's no longer experiencing numbness and tingling in his fingers, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
Joyce landed on the injured list earlier this month with a diagnosis of right ulnar neuritis. There is no timeline for his return to the Angels or when he might pick up a baseball again, but the hard-throwing 22-year-old seems to be responding well to a period of rest and treatment.
Angels manager Phil Nevin said Saturday that an MRI on Joyce's right elbow revealed no ligament damage, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.
Joyce was placed on the 15-day IL earlier Saturday with what the Angels labeled as right ulnar neuritis, and that initial diagnosis looks as though it'll hold after the MRI turned up nothing concerning. The power right-hander had pitched to a 4.50 ERA, 2.25 WHIP and 5:4 K:BB in four innings over his first five appearances out of the Los Angeles bullpen prior to suffering the injury.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Placed on IL with ulnar neuritis
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The Angels placed Joyce (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right ulnar neuritis.
Joyce is currently undergoing an MRI to determine the severity of his injury, but the right-hander will miss at least two-plus weeks with the injury. The Angels have selected Gerardo Reyes's contract from Triple-A Salt Lake to replace Joyce in the bullpen.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Currently undergoing MRI
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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: Leaves game with trainer
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Joyce left Friday's game against the Mariners with an apparent injury, Sarah Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Joyce didn't record an out and issued a walk before exiting with a trainer. Jacob Webb entered the contest for the Angels in Joyce's absence. The rookie will undergo further testing, but for now the hard-throwing reliever should be considered day-to-day.
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Angels' Ben Joyce: Leaves with hand irritation
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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: Expected to be placed on IL
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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: Lighting up radar gun
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Joyce has thrown 21 of his 22 major-league pitches at over 100 mph, per Taylor Blake Ward of AngelsWin.com.
Joyce's spectacular velocity is no secret -- his fastball was clocked as high as 105 mph in college before the Angels took him in the third round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. He struggled to control the pitch at Double-A this season, walking 14 batters over 15.2 innings, but the Angels nonetheless fast-tracked him to the majors with a call-up Sunday. Joyce has shown huge promise in his first two games as a big-leaguer, posting a 4:0 K:BB over two scoreless frames. On Thursday, he fanned both Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez on three pitches each, with all the offerings being four-seam fastballs that clocked in at 101-102 mph. The Angels are set at closer this season with Carlos Estevez pitching well, but Joyce could see plenty of high-leverage work if he continues to limit walks. The fireballer has the makings of a future closer, and he could have some fantasy value even if he's not getting save chances due to his potential to rack up strikeouts in bunches.
