NEW YORK -- The Angels could be getting a major piece of their bullpen back soon as right-hander Ben Joyce took a big step in his recovery on Tuesday, throwing to hitters for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery last May.
Joyce had been throwing bullpens at the club’s Spring Training complex in Tempe, Ariz., since the start of Spring Training in February, but he finally advanced to facing hitters in a live session on Tuesday. Joyce, whose fastball has registered as high as 105.5 mph, still has a few other hurdles to clear before he starts a rehab assignment, but he is making steady progress, according to manager Kurt Suzuki.
Suzuki didn’t get a full report on how it went, but he said he didn’t hear anything to suggest it didn’t go to plan.
“I don’t want to know how hard he was throwing because then I’d want him here,” Suzuki said with a laugh. “He threw today. If you look at Ben and know Ben, he’s a beast. I’m sure he feels good if I didn’t hear anything.”
Joyce, 25, experienced a breakout year in 2024, posting a 2.08 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings, including a 0.83 ERA and four saves over his final 28 outings of the season. But last year, he made just five appearances with a 6.23 ERA before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in mid-May.
Joyce, though, was encouraged by his progress during Spring Training, and he is expected to provide a major boost to the bullpen once he returns. He could even settle into the closer’s role later in the season, as veteran Jordan Romano is currently in that role and had fared well until allowing three runs in Monday night’s 11-10 loss to the Yankees.
Fellow veteran Kirby Yates is also nearing a rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, but he is set to throw one more bullpen session before he appears in a game. Yates previously faced hitters on April 7 at Angel Stadium.
“He wanted one more bullpen to kind of touch up before he gets out there just as more of a peace-of-mind type of thing,” Suzuki said. “Make sure he's fully ready before he gets out there. But when he gets out there, he's not going to be that far off.”