While the Angels have officially been eliminated from the 2023 playoffs and there is a serious possibility that All-Stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani are not on the roster this time next season, things are rather bleak in Anaheim.
However, as the Angels begin to experiment with rookie relievers José Soriano and Ben Joyce, they are liking what they see.
In 37 games, Soriano holds a 3.51 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP and a 2.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has continued to be a key rotational player for the Angels since early June and has only allowed 4 runs in nine games in September, including an eight-game streak without allowing a run.
Joyce has a 2.00 ERA across 9 innings in the 2023 season. After a strong showing in late May and early June, Joyce did not make another appearance for the Angels until Sept. 10. In four innings in September, Joyce hasn't allowed a single run or hit.
"These guys, stuff wise, if you ask anyone around the league, these are back-end, high-leverage bullpen guys, with that kind of stuff," said Angels manager Phil Nevin.
With Soriano, Nevin said that his recent experience has helped him learn about the inconsistencies working as a reliever in Major League Baseball can provide.
“There are learning experiences,” Nevin said. “He needs to understand some days he might have a certain pitch and some days it’s not working, just like a starter would. You need to understand what you can do to get guys out.”
Joyce's strength comes with his fastball, which averages 100.9 mph. However, his control leaves something to be desired.
“With his stuff, he doesn’t have to be pinpoint,” Nevin said. “You’d like it to be. If he gets down to that, with his stuff, he’s really tough on a hitter.”
With Joyce and Soriano, the Angels have pieces that fans can get excited about even as the threat of Ohtani and Trout's potential departure looms in the offseason.
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