The Los Angeles Angels have endured major instability in the ninth inning this season, blowing more than half of their save opportunities. Their 4.52 ERA in the ninth ranks 20th across MLB.
The closer role has also been a revolving door. Jordan Romano, Kirby Yates, and Ryan Zeferjahn are tied for the team lead with six save opportunities apiece, while Sam Bachman follows with four.
However, three of those four pitchers are no longer available to the Angels. Yates and Zeferjahn were traded at the deadline, while Romano was designated for assignment and released in April. Bachman is now on the 15-day injured list after being placed there on August 5.
That leaves Los Angeles searching for stability in the ninth inning at a crucial point in the season.
Los Angeles might finally have the man to lock down the ninth back after almost two seasons
The Angels may have finally found the stability they desperately needed in the ninth inning, and the answer could be one of the most electric arms in baseball.
Los Angeles activated Ben Joyce from the injured list on Aug. 4, just one day after the trade deadline. The hard-throwing right-hander burst onto the scene after making his MLB debut in 2023, immediately turning heads with elite extension and a fastball that averaged 100.9 mph. The problem was that his incredible velocity often came without enough command.
Joyce returned in 2024 after beginning the year in Triple-A and appeared to make significant progress. His control improved, while his fastball velocity jumped to an average of 102.1 mph. He posted a terrific 2.08 ERA across 34.1 innings and looked like he could become the Angels’ long-term answer at closer before shoulder inflammation ended his season in early September.
His 2025 campaign was far more difficult. After struggling through his first five appearances, Joyce was sidelined again with shoulder inflammation. He eventually underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum, ending his season.
Joyce’s road back continued into 2026. He began a rehab assignment in late April, but his recovery did not progress as quickly as the Angels had hoped. He was shut down before returning to rehab action in July.
Now 25, Joyce finally appears to be healthy—and he’s looking more dominant than ever.
Through his first six appearances since returning, Joyce has surrendered just one hit and one walk while striking out eight batters without allowing a run. Even more encouraging, he is a perfect 3-for-3 in save opportunities.
His trademark velocity has remained intact, with his fastball still sitting in the high 101 mph range. He has also generated whiffs on roughly two-thirds of the sinkers he’s thrown, providing another indication that his stuff is as nasty as ever.
The sample size remains small, and Joyce’s top priority for the remainder of 2026 should be staying healthy and building toward next season. Still, the Angels have not seen this level of dominance from him at the major-league level before.
After making several moves at the trade deadline and continuing to develop a promising young core, Los Angeles has plenty of reasons for optimism. If Joyce can remain healthy, the Angels may have finally found the ninth-inning weapon they’ve been searching for—and potentially their closer for years to come.
