ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Angels rookie reliever Ben Joyce threw a 105.5 mph fastball Tuesday evening that was the quickest pitch within the majors this season and the quickest strikeout pitch within the pitch-tracking period, which began in 2008.
Joyce’s blazing fastball struck out Tommy Edman to finish the Los Angeles Dodgers’ half of the ninth inning. The hard-throwing Joyce additionally threw a 105.5 mph pitch in school at Tennessee, however his quickest pitch within the majors had been a 104.5 mph fastball.
Aroldis Chapman threw a 105.8 mph fastball in September 2010 and a 105.7 mph pitch in July 2016. Solely Chapman and Jordan Hicks had touched 105 mph in a serious league recreation in the course of the pitch-tracking period earlier than Joyce joined them, in line with Statcast.
Joyce stated he had a little bit further oomph from the bipartisan sellout crowd attending the Angels’ 6-2 loss to the Dodgers. He additionally threw fastballs clocked at 104.4, 104.0, 103.6 and 103.0 mph — three of them to Will Smith, who struck out on 4 pitches — throughout his blazing ninth inning.
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“Only a big-time recreation,” Joyce stated. “Numerous followers had been all into it, so I really feel like that form of helped a little bit bit. … You may really feel it the entire time. The stadium was virtually shaking at instances. It was a cool surroundings, for certain.”
Joyce’s 1-2-3 ninth stored the rating tied 2-2 earlier than the Dodgers rallied to win within the tenth in opposition to reliever Roansy Contreras.
“It was two strikes, [so] I simply tried to provide it every thing I had,” Joyce stated of his 105.5 mph pitch. “I did not actually discover the distinction [compared to other fastballs]. I assumed I threw just a few different ones more durable, to be sincere, so it was form of shocking to see that [on the scoreboard].”
Joyce smiled to himself after seeing the velocity on the scoreboard whereas leaving the mound.
“Oh my goodness,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “I am simply glad that I used to be 90 toes away from the batter’s field. That is uncomfortable.”
Solely Chapman, Hicks and Jhoan Duran had thrown pitches recorded at 104.5 mph or sooner on this period earlier than they had been joined this season by Joyce, who pitched 10 innings for the Angels in 2023. He has been glorious in his second season within the majors, posting a 2.08 ERA in 31 appearances.
And even after his newest triple-digit feat, Joyce says he believes he has extra velocity in his future.
“I want to suppose I might throw a little bit more durable,” Joyce stated with a smile.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
