The Los Angeles Angels, despite a surprisingly strong start to their 2025 campaign, recently had to navigate a roster adjustment that will impact their bullpen in the short term. The Athletic’s Sam Blum reported via X (formerly Twitter) that “Ben Joyce is going on the IL with shoulder inflammation, the Angels say. His velo dipped a decent amount in his appearance on Tuesday night. No word yet on the severity.”
This announcement confirmed that Joyce, a key setup reliever for closer Kenley Jansen, would be placed on the 15-day injured list. The move necessitated a call-up from Triple-A Salt Lake, with right-hander Michael Darrell-Hicks joining the major league roster to fill Joyce’s spot.
Los Angeles Angels Move SP Ben Joyce To IL
Notably, concerns about Joyce’s velocity arose during his April 8th outing against the Tampa Bay Rays. While the hard-throwing right-hander himself downplayed any physical issues immediately following the game, stating, “I just didn’t have my best stuff,” and attributing his struggles to location, the subsequent IL placement clearly indicates an underlying problem.
He elaborated at the time, “Just kind of missed with the sinker up a little bit, and then the four-seam, which I wanted to get up in the zone, just kind of left it down [the] middle. Just a little off location-wise.”
Through his initial four innings this season, Joyce had recorded a 6.23 ERA with just one strikeout and one walk. As the Angels’ primary option to bridge the gap to Jansen in the late innings, his absence presents a significant challenge for the team.
It remains to be seen whether the Angels, who have surprised many with their early-season success, including a franchise-best 7-3 start through their first ten games, can maintain their strong play while Joyce is sidelined.
Players like Logan O’Hoppe and Mike Trout have been instrumental in their early wins, and the emergence of Kyren Paris has also provided a boost. As the season progresses, the Angels will need to find consistency and adapt to the temporary loss of a key member of their bullpen.