The Angels announced that they have called up hard throwing right hander Ben Joyce to the big leagues. To make room, left hander Matt Moore has been placed on the 15-day IL with a right oblique strain, and Austin Warren has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
Joyce has been working at Double-A this season, where he’s posted a 4.60 ERA over 15 2/3 innings, combining a 34.3% strikeout rate with an 18.3% walk rate. His calling card is undoubtedly the fastball, which as touched 105 mph in the past. Joyce ranked 19th on Keith Law’s Angels prospect rankings for The Athletic, with Law stating “he doesn’t have an average second pitch or particularly good command of the fastball … He’ll have to develop his slider to be a big-league reliever.”
That’s seemed to shine through in his minor league numbers, with Joyce walking more than seven batters every nine innings so far this season. There’s obviously a big step up from Double-A to the big leagues, but it’ll be fascinating to see how such a hard thrower goes against the increased competition.
Joyce will be replacing one of the Angels’ best relievers in Moore. The left hander has worked to a 1.44 ERA through 25 innings for the Angels, following on from his impressive season in 2022 for the Rangers. Moore has reverse splits for a left hander, with left handed hitters going .250/.333/.625 against him while right handers have struggled to a .117/.194/.167 line against the veteran. There’s no timetable yet for Moore’s recovery, but he’ll miss at least the next two weeks as he recovers.
Kershaw's Lesser Known Right Arm
13 walks in 15 innings at Double A
MarkieFresh
I immediately think of Jordan Hicks.
Halos 11
AA is terrible for pitchers because they are using an experimental ball that is pre tacked. Imagine using a baseball your whole life and then the ball being changed. You can’t expect them to be able to adjust immediately. I think spring training for him is more accurate for his control capabilities.
GoogleMe
Halos He only pitched 6 and 2/3 innings in spring training. He walked 6 and hit 2 batters in 6.2. Joyce’s issue has always been command.
bronxmac77
Trying to ruin a game that has worked for more than a century. Wish they’d quit the mad scientist experiments.
prov356
Ghost runner!
bronxmac77
Yep. Hate it.
Kershaw's Lesser Known Right Arm
Really? I thought that was at AAA? I thought that was part of the reason they were skipping AAA for some of their rookies and calling them straight up to the Show
Omarj
In AAA they have altitude issues and in AA they have the balls with infused stickiness which are hard to control. Tough luck
rottenboyfriend
That explains why Nevin brought Silseth back for a second inning last night! If Moore is on the IL for more than 15 days we will fall too far behind Texas and Houston for the last wild card spot! So much for the 4 game win streak! We just can’t seem to Get over the hump….
GoogleMe
Just when you think Devenski is stepping up to become a 3rd reliable arm out of the bullpen, one goes down.
johndietz
Tacky balls in that league
bronxmac77
Keep those batter loose.
Dig in…you die!
HalosHeavenJJ
Moore has been a linchpin. Hope he’s back 100% soon.
I’m excited to see Joyce.
signenderinciarte
The harder you throw, the farther it goes.
Joshy
Already??
ShootyBabbit
I wonder if all these call ups, which most are just to see what they’ve got, are to sell the franchise to Shohei
MoneyBallJustWorks
they are not. don’t think Ohtani really cares that Silseth and Joyce have been called up.
plus if the rumors of the dodgers are true, the pitching prospects don’t compare.
DCartrow
Wait till you see Ben’s brother Flore Joyce.
He can handle the work load.
prov356
That doesn’t even qualify for a dad joke.
DCartrow
I agree. It’s not exactly the mother of all jokes.
prov356
I see what you did there.
User 2976510776
The fastest way to the Show is getting drafted by Minasian. Bachman and Silseth are wild and lacking confidence. Joyce sounds wild.
“A picher who hasn’t control hasn’t anything.” Joe McCarthy commandment 10. Rendon broke commandment 6 earlier this year : “Do not alibi on bad hops. Anybody can field the good ones”
bkbkbkbk
Bachman is fine, Silseth will be OK out of the bullpen.
i like al conin
You see what you have. Guys who perform stay, those that don’t go. I like Perry’s aggressiveness. You see now what you need in 2 months on the trade market.
Angels & NL West
I feel like Perry is promoting guys early out of necessity. Once he has a deep 40-man roster and a minor league system flush with prospects, I believe Perry will have the luxury of being more patient.
Ham Fighter
Has anyone been called up from salt lake this year it seems every call up is from double A rocket city. I’ve never seen so many call ups from double A it must be a record
GoogleMe
Ham, Yes, a lot have been called up from AAA, Webb, Devenski, Wallach, Moniak, Weiss, Silseth, etc.
Ketch
Hunter Greene 1.1. When he’s on, he’s dangerous. But when he’s wild, he’s a different, more deadly kind of dangerous.
never woke
He will scare the crap out of batters
the old ranger
Ryne Duren II
vaderzim
That was fast. Hope he gets his control under control.
User 2976510776
It’s no coincidence they did this 3 days after Jhoan Duran made the news for his 104.6 mph pitch. The Angels are that petty that they want the PR. Joyce can bring it up there but it might be to the backstop.
outinleftfield
I am excited to see Joyce pitch. After his 5/5 appearance against the Smokies he didn’t enter a game again for a week as they worked on his control. Buddy spent most of that week down in Madison working with him. In 7 IP since coming back he has walked 3 vs 11 Ks. I really hope he can continue that trend.
websoulsurfer
Buddy Carlyle?
bronxmac77
Can’t wait to see Joyce, brothers.
DCartrow
Choice.
prov356
Bronx – that’s worse than the “Flore Joyce” above.
bronxmac77
You prefer jaunty joist jousting.
I get it.
;0)
bronxmac77
Angels are about to get Schwepped in their own house. Punk-slapped, as it were.
C’MON boys!
bronxmac77
And another Angel flight goes down in a fiery ball of flame.
prov356
So typical – we sweep Boston to have it erased by getting swept by Florida.
bronxmac77
Team is Jekyll and Hyde.
Or Hekyll & Jekyll.
Pickle_Britches
If he can’t throw strikes in the minors it’s not looking to good for him in MLB. Plus he’s not even that dominating in the minors. Hunter green has his velocity but has better control and stuff. So I see a failure here
never woke
I’d love to have a piece or two of that Miami team. That’s what the Angels need.
prov356
Welp, we should sweep the sox, but, you know…
bronxmac77
JOYCE’s DEBUT! 102 first pitch!
One-oh-two! Then One-oh-one!
but then a basehit…
:0(
bronxmac77
Good manufacturing of an insurance run! Thaiss, Gio, Neto!
bronxmac77
BALLGAME! Good play Neto!