Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ben Joyce on Saturday recorded his first career save in emphatic fashion.
The Angels carried a precarious 5-4 lead to the top of the 9th inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. After getting the final out in the top of the 8th, Joyce remained in the contest for the 9th to face the top of the Mets’ order.
Joyce got leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor to fly out and then induced a groundout from Brandon Nimmo. With one out remaining, Joyce used all his gas against Mets slugger JD Martinez.
The right-hander’s first pitch was a 103.7-mph heater in the zone for a called strike. Martinez fouled off Joyce’s second pitch. Joyce closed out the game with a 104.7-mph fastball right down the middle that Martinez had no chance of catching up to.
Ben Joyce dials it up to 104.7 MPH to get the final out of his first career save! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/RLfbJUEGRm
— MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2024
The pitch clocked in as the fastest thrown by any pitcher in MLB this season. It was also one of the fastest ever recorded since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008.
Ben Joyce's 104.7 mph fastball for a strikeout to secure his first career save was:
-The fastest pitch of the 2024 season
-The fastest pitch thrown by an Angel in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008)
-Tied for the 17th-fastest pitch thrown by any pitcher since '08 https://t.co/rOPQ3P98af— Brent Maguire (@bmags94) August 4, 2024
With Joyce having an absolute flamethrower at his disposal, the Angels probably won’t be afraid to send Joyce out for another save situation in the future.
Joyce entered Saturday’s contest with a 1.93 ERA and 20 strikeouts through 20.0 innings pitched.
