The television broadcast radar gun reading drew gasps. Never before had it displayed a number this high: 106 mph.
Angels reliever Ben Joyce turned his back to home plate to take a peek at the scoreboard, then tugged at his belt buckle and allowed himself a smile. The now-you-see-it, did-I-actually-see-it fastball that struck out Tommy Edman of the Dodgers on Tuesday night was precisely 105.5 mph — the broadcast had rounded up — making it the third-fastest pitch recorded since radar guns were introduced in the 1980s.
Only reliever Aroldis Chapman has thrown faster pitches, touching 105.