Los Angeles Angels rookie reliever Ben Joyce threw a 105.5 mph fastball on Tuesday night. This was the fastest pitch in the majors this season and the third-fastest pitch recorded since 2008.
Joyce’s incredibly fast pitch struck out Tommy Edman to finish the Los Angeles Dodgers’ turn in the ninth inning. It was the fastest pitch ever thrown for a strikeout in the pitch-tracking era.
Joyce had previously thrown a 105.5 mph pitch in college at Tennessee, but his highest speed in the majors had been 104.5 mph.
Before Joyce, only Aroldis Chapman and Jordan Hicks had reached 105 mph in a major league game. Chapman threw a 105.8 mph fastball in September 2010 and a 105.7 mph pitch in July 2016.
Joyce said the enthusiastic crowd at the Angels’ 6-2 loss to the Dodgers gave him extra energy. He also threw other fastballs clocked at 104.4, 104.0, 103.6, and 103.0 mph—three of these to Will Smith, who struck out on four pitches—during his impressive ninth inning.
“Just a big-time game,” Joyce said. “A lot of fans were all into it, so I feel like that kind of helped a little bit. … You could feel it the whole time. The stadium was almost shaking at times. It was a cool environment, for sure.”
Joyce’s performance in the ninth inning kept the game tied 2-2 before the Dodgers scored in the 10th against reliever Roansy Contreras.
“When it was two strikes, I just tried to give it everything I had,” Joyce said about his 105.5 mph pitch. “I didn’t really notice the difference compared to other fastballs. I thought I threw a few other ones harder, to be honest, so it was kind of surprising to see that on the scoreboard.”
