Angels' Ben Joyce Suffers Injury Setback, No Timetable for Return

Angels relief pitcher Ben Joyce has suffered an injury setback, and there is currently no timetable for his return.

Joyce has been on the 15-day injured list for right shoulder inflammation since April 11, although his recovery appears to be progressing only incrementally.

“I'd say it's feeling a little better, I don't know,” Joyce said to reporters.

“It's kind of the same as it has been, but it's obviously less sore not throwing in games and stuff. But the same as it has been.”

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He had begun throwing but stopped because he didn't feel ready. Now, he is simply doing some exercises and treatments to improve his shoulder condition.

His aim is to start throwing again as soon as next week to test out how the shoulder is feeling.

Ben Joyce throws 100.⁠
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He doesn’t have absurd separation.⁠
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His “block” wouldn’t be considered “good” if he was throwing 85.⁠
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Yes he still generates a ton of force through his oblique slings.⁠
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Yes his front leg is still elite.⁠
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Just because things don’t look… pic.twitter.com/1qqGQq8lZe
— Connected Performance (@CxnPerformance) April 29, 2025

“Just a little bit of the same right now,” Joyce said. “Just trying to get over the hump and re-evaluate as we go right now.”

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His latest update on the lack of progress stings for the Angels, who have experienced lackluster bullpen performances recently, and the return of Joyce was seen as a potential turning point.

Joyce had his bobblehead night on Friday, though it was a bittersweet moment for the young pitcher since he could not pitch on his special day.

“Very frustrating,” Joyce said. “It’s tough. It’s heartbreaking not being out there with the guys and contributing. But yeah, just trying to figure it out.”

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At only 24 years old, Joyce became a household name after gassing pitches over 100 mph during his bullpen appearances, establishing himself as one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the game.

His electrifying combination of a blistering fastball, a superb sinker, and a slider proved to be one of the deadliest in the majors.

In 2024, after pitching only 34 innings, Joyce generated 0.6 WAR and had an 8.57 strikeouts per nine innings rate. He also had a five percent home run rate and a 58.9 percent ground ball rate.

His powerful arm was intended to serve as the set-up arm for Kenley Jansen, but he will need to wait until he can take on that role.

In 2025, he has only pitched four innings, though he struggled early on having a 6.23 ERA.

When he is finally able to return, the Angels will need the 2024 version of Joyce to appear in the bullpen.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.