Angels' Ben Joyce: Hits 104.5 mph Friday

Joyce threw a fastball at 104.5 mph against the Mariners on Friday, the fastest pitch in the majors this season, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.

Joyce's velocity is well-known -- he's averaging a league-high 101.7 mph on his fastball in 2024. The fireballing righty hit a new level Friday, however, blazing the 104.5 mph offering (which was fouled off) in the seventh inning. Joyce's big arm was offset by control issues during his initial cup of coffee in the majors last year, as he struck out 10 batters but also walked nine over 10 innings. He's shown substantial improvement this season, posting a 13:6 K:BB through 15.1 frames. Joyce has been even better over the past month, tossing 13.1 consecutive scoreless innings during which he's yielded just four hits while posting a 12:5 K:BB.