Ben Joyce's return should end the Angels' experiment with another failed bullpen addition

Ben Joyce has started a minor-league rehab assignment, and as the Los Angeles Angels look for stability in their bullpen, the hope is that Joyce's eventual return is a step in that direction. The Angels' patched-together plan for the bullpen hasn't worked and already resulted in Jordan Romano being released. Once Joyce returns, it feels likely that LA would bring an end to another bullpen experiment.

After not pitching in the majors since 2021, Drew Pomeranz revived his career with the Chicago Cubs last season. The veteran southpaw became one of the dependable lefties in Craig Counsell's bullpen, posting an ERA of 2.17 in 57 appearances. His underlying metrics, 3.69 FIP, suggested that regression was inevitable, and the Halos are finding that out.

Pomeranz's run with the Angels to start the season has been a disaster. The 37-year-old has an ERA of 9.28 through his first 13 outings with the Angels, and the end may already be near. Pomeranz is making $4 million this season, and while it is more than what Romano was making, the fact is that the Angels will eventually need to make room for Joyce when he makes his return.

Angels' answers in the bullpen shouldn't include Drew Pomeranz

The Angels, after a hot start to the season, are trending in the direction where the focus should shift to identifying pieces by the end of the season that could be a part of the team's long-term core. Under no circumstances does Pomeranz check that box.

LA's plan for the bullpen during the offseason never quite made sense. Had Pomeranz but added to a group that already included established relievers expected to have success, no one would have thought twice about that move. Instead, between Pomeranz, Romano, and Kirby Yates, the Angels were simply throwing names against the wall and seeing what stuck. Romano is already gone, and Pomeranz likely won't be far behind. Yates, meanwhile, has struggled during his minor-league rehab assignment.

The silver lining is that some of the unproven arms in the Angels' bullpen are starting to turn heads. Sam Bachman and Chase Silseth have been surprising high-leverage arms finding success, and Mitch Farris seems to have found comfort as a bulk option out of the bullpen. The hope is that Joyce is added to that mix once he returns.

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