Matt Joyce Career Tracker

Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Ex-Tiger Matt Joyce a big hit in return to majors
Tony Paul / The Detroit News

Ex-Tiger Matt Joyce is back in the big leagues and appears ready to stay. In his two games since his recall by the Rays, the outfielder has homered twice -- including a two-run shot in Tuesday's 6-2 victory over the Royals.

In that game, Joyce, 24, also had a single, double and four RBIs. Both the home run and double came with two outs, and the two-run double rewarded Joe Maddon's decision to stick with the left-handed hitter against left-handed reliever Horacio Ramirez.

You bet that performance was a relief for Joyce, a Tampa native who, by the way, is well aware how the player he was swapped for this winter, right-handed starter Edwin Jackson, is faring in Detroit (5-3, 2.30 ERA).

"I'm just trying to keep up with him," Joyce told the St. Petersburg Times.

Joyce hit .315 in 41 games at Triple A after an April demotion spurred by a) B.J. Upton's return from a shoulder injury, and b) Joyce's sluggish start (.100, 1-for-10) potentially caused by a leg injury that lingered late into spring training. Maddon made no promises about Joyce being ready to stick in the majors, but he's likely a better option in right field than the Gabes, Gross (.244) and ex-Tiger Kapler (.178).

"I think he's gonna be huge," Rays front man Evan Longoria told the Times. "Obviously, they traded for him for a reason and he's kind of proven that now."

The emergence of switch-hitter Ben Zobrist (.305, nine homers, 28 RBIs in 46 games) is the main roadblock in Joyce's path to becoming a starter in 2009.

Re-Joyce: Outfielder helps rally Rays
Slugger continues to flash big bat by collecting four RBIs

By Bill Chastain / MLB.com

06/02/09 11:40 PM ET

Box >

ST. PETERSBURG -- Edwin who?

Since the beginning of the season, Rays fans have pined for Edwin Jackson, the hard-throwing right-hander the Rays traded to Detroit for an outfielder by the name of Matt Joyce. Much of the dialogue has dwelled on the negative, like, "How could the Rays trade a 14-game winner for an outfielder who got sent back to Triple-A Durham after the first week of the season?" And Jackson has been pitching well for the Tigers, as he's off to a 5-3 start with a 2.30 ERA.

Now, finally, Rays fans are getting a chance to see Joyce. He homered in a losing effort Sunday against the Twins. And Tuesday night, Joyce was back at it, with a single, a double, a home run and four RBIs to lead the Rays to a 6-2 win over the Royals with 13,604 watching at Tropicana Field.

By winning, the Rays took their third victory in four tries on their current six-game homestand.

"I've been saying all along, this guy's got a special bat," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It makes a different sound when it hits [the ball]."

So while the debate about the merits of keeping a young power pitcher or trading for a power-hitting young outfielder will likely continue, the promise that the Rays' management saw in Joyce is quickly becoming apparent.

"I'm sure there were a lot of questions around if the trade was equal or how that was going to work out," Joyce said. "But, you know, Edwin is really a talented pitcher. And he's throwing very well this year. I'm just trying to keep up with him."

Maddon understands that it is easy to overreact in the early going after a trade is made.

"I still believe the best trade is a trade that benefits both sides, and I believe that's how this is going to work out," Maddon said. "I believe that Matt Joyce is going to be a really good everyday outfielder with the kind of power you saw tonight. I think he plays a fine right field, also. And he's going to have a complete game.

"He's a baseball player. You can see the way he moves. He's got that looseness about his body. It's a nice, loose, agile way about him, really loose swing with tremendous bat speed. I also believe he's going to eventually be one of those guys who works a count well, sees a lot of pitches and hits the ball for power."

Joyce came through with two outs in the sixth when he broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run double to put the Rays up, 4-2. He added a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth to essentially put the game out of reach.

"Two games in the book, and pretty happy with the results," Joyce said. "And, hopefully, [I can] keep rolling."

Royals pitchers walked seven on the evening, which did not please manager Trey Hillman.

"It's a bad combo -- extra-base hits, especially ones that get out of the ballpark, and walks," Hillman said. "It's tough to overcome."

Andy Sonnanstine started for the Rays and needed to do something -- anything to show he could still be the crafty master who might not have the best stuff but knew what he was doing every time he took the mound.

Against the Royals, the Rays right-hander managed to recover nicely from one of the worst starts of his career to post a quality start and pick up his fourth win of the season.

Sonnanstine lasted just three innings against the Indians on May 27, during a game in which he allowed eight earned runs after being given a 5-0 lead in the top of the first.

Sonnanstine allowed two runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks Tuesday. The only runs the Royals got off him were solo home runs by Jose Guillen and Miguel Olivo.

"Felt real good, felt like I was aggressive and pitching like my old self," Sonnanstine said. "Felt like I had more conviction with all of my pitches tonight and really stayed focused."

Ben Zobrist covered the two Royals homers with his ninth home run of the season, a two-run blast in the fourth before Joyce took over the offense.

Grant Balfour took over for Sonnanstine and threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief before J.P. Howell finished off the win with a scoreless ninth.

A solid pitching performance is always nice, but clearly Joyce opened the most eyes Tuesday night.

"I'm just happy that Edwin is doing a great job for Detroit," Maddon said. "I think that is wonderful. I also know that Matt Joyce is going to do a great job in Tampa Bay."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Rays activate Burrell from disabled list
Slugger missed 29 games; Joyce optioned to Triple-A

By Zach Schonbrun / MLB.com

06/11/09 11:37 PM ET

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays activated designated hitter Pat Burrell off the 15-day disabled list Thursday night after he missed the past 29 games with a strained neck.

The team optioned outfielder Matt Joyce to Triple-A Durham to make room for the move.

Burrell is expected to be in the lineup Friday for the start of the team's three-game series with Washington.

Burrell is in the first year of a two-year contract with Tampa Bay after spending the previous eight seasons with Philadelphia. He was hitting .250 with one home run and 17 RBIs in 30 games before injuring his neck on May 11.

His activation means he will be with the team for its six-game road trip to Colorado and New York next week, forcing him into a pinch-hit role. Rays manager Joe Maddon said Burrell would not play any outfield.

That raises the question of why the team would rush Burrell back. Maddon said he thinks the possibility of bringing the slugging right-handed hitter off the bench in any capacity is something the team needs.

"Obviously, you're looking for the situation where you could play somebody in the field," Maddon said. "But then that one pinch-hit role might be extremely big. Hopefully, he'll be utilized in a situation where they have to pitch to him."

Maddon added that Burrell's familiarity with the National League serves as another reason to have him on the roster for next week. Burrell it 251 career home runs with the Phillies, and his best career numbers are against the Mets. In 151 career games, he has hit 42 home runs and 104 RBIs against New York.

"He should be in relatively good shape, meaning that he could sit the bench and come off and feel comfortable," Maddon said.

Burrell spent the week on a rehab assignment with Double-A Montgomery and Class A Charlotte. He went 0-for-4 for Charlotte on Thursday.

Joyce, 24, sat for the second consecutive night against the Angels on Thursday, and he was hitting .238 with two home runs and six RBIs in eight games since being called up from Durham on May 30. Joyce was acquired in the offseason trade with Detroit for right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson.

The Tampa native made a splash in his first two games at Tropicana Field, going 5-for-7 with two home runs and five RBIs; since then, he'd gone 0-for-15 with one RBI.

"It's kind of back to the drawing board," Joyce said. "You go back down and scratch and claw your way back up. Just tear it up again and force them to bring you back up."

Zach Schonbrun is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Seems like we got the better of that deal.

How much longer is he under contract there?

Right field solution for rays?
Looking to Start: Joyce Has Chance to Win Job Outright



STEVE NESIUS | the associated press
MATT JOYCE watches his two-run homer for the Tampa Bay Rays against Kansas City last season. The former Florida Southern star is the only pure left-handed hitter in the mix.

By DICK SCANLON
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT

Published: Monday, February 8, 2010 at 11:58 p.m.
Last Modified: Monday, February 8, 2010 at 11:58 p.m.

As spring training looms, right field is the one Rays position that is "totally open," in the words of Matt Joyce.

Among the Rays' options are: platooning Joyce with Gabe Kapler and/or Fernando Perez; moving Ben Zobrist back out to right field and finding someone else to play second base; moving B.J. Upton over from center field and going with rookie Desmond Jennings in center.

The cleanest and most convenient solution might be for the 25-year-old Joyce to win the job outright.

"You try not to think about it too much," the former Florida Southern College star said. "You keep it in the back of your mind, but also you want to play your game, have fun with it, get ready to play the regular season wherever you're playing.

"As far as this situation right now, where right field is totally open, that doesn't change the way you approach it. You work at it the same way, you approach your at-bats the same way, and you have fun with it."

Although some of the names have changed, the situation isn't that much different from last year. Having been acquired from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitcher Edwin Jackson, Joyce had his spring cut short by a groin injury, then made the roster when Perez went out with a wrist injury. Joyce spent most of the season in AAA, however, while Zobrist, Kapler and Gabe Gross played right field.

Gross is gone now and the versatile Zobrist was moved to second base, where he finished a breakout season. He figures to play there again unless a better option arises.

It spells opportunity for Joyce, the only pure left-handed hitter left in the mix.

"I was very stressed out (last year) about where I was going to play, when I was going to play, getting called up and sent down," he said. "The past two years have kind of been a roller-coaster, so that experience has been beneficial heading into this year. Hopefully, it'll calm the nerves and help me relax a little more."

Joyce has been cross-training this winter, working out three days a week in Lakeland and occasionally in some voluntary workouts at Tropicana Field.

The highlight of his offseason came in November, when he went to Ireland with his girlfriend, Randi Jones. On his knees, with "roses on the bed, champagne and stuff," Joyce proposed. The wedding will probably be around the first of next year.

Meanwhile, Joyce would like to win a major league job. Proving he can hit left-handed pitching will be important.

"I think I did a lot better job of that last year," he said. "It's probably going to be harder to show them in spring training because you're not going to get as many at-bats against lefties. You'll probably get some, but the only way you're going to know is through the long run."

In that regard, a season in AAA may have helped, according to new Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton.

"Even more important than hitting left-handers is consistent major league at-bats, and being able to prove that," Shelton said. "If you see the discipline of his approach and the outline of how his at-bats go - not necessarily the outcome of the at-bat, but what he does within the at-bat - I think that's how he will be evaluated."

Joyce is trying to view it as a long-term picture.

"The challenge is to come in and win the starting job. That's the goal and the mind-set," he said. "But it's also fun. It becomes a competition and it's something I really look forward to. In my mind, it's something that's going to go well. Obviously you want to play in the big leagues, but AAA isn't so bad.

"I think all I wanted was a shot to show them what I could do."

I still wish he was back here....

Last Updated: July 03. 2010 9:47PM
Saturday's AL game of the day: Rays 8, Twins 6
Ex-Tiger Matt Joyce belts pinch-hit grand slam to down Twins
Detroit News wire services

Minneapolis -- While Twins slugger Jim Thome was clubbing his way up the home run chart, former Tiger Matt Joyce was sitting on the Rays' bench, just waiting for his shot to do something special.

His chance finally came with the game tied in the eighth inning and Joyce stole some thunder from one of the best power hitters to ever play the game.

Joyce's pinch-hit grand slam capped a seven-run eighth inning, rallying Tampa Bay to an 8-6 victory over Minnesota on Saturday and spoiling a big day for Thome.

"I was ready from the fifth on," Joyce said. "I was on red alert, defcon 5. I had taken some swings in the cage and I was just ready for whenever I was needed."

Thome homered twice to move past Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew into 10th place on the career list. Francisco Liriano struck out 10 and allowed just one run in seven innings, but Minnesota's normally reliable bullpen couldn't hold a 4-1 lead in the eighth.

Thome has 574 home runs, but it was Joyce's first in more than a year that proved the difference.

In a new ballpark that has played so big all season, Joyce became the fifth player to hit one out to center field.

"There's not a lot of balls that go out in that area," Joyce said. "I was yelling 'Go! Go!' at the ball as I was running the bases."

The Twins scored twice in the ninth on a double by Thome and a single by Denard Span, but Rafael Soriano got Orlando Hudson to ground out for his 20th save in 21 chances.

Carl Crawford had two hits and two RBIs, one of them a single off Jose Mijares in the eighth that cut the lead to 4-2.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire went to Matt Guerrier (1-4) for the fifth time in seven days, and his first two pitches were an RBI single by Evan Longoria and a double by Willy Aybar that tied the game at 4.

Joyce carried a .158 average to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. But his first home run since June 2, 2009, just cleared the wall in center field to complete the comeback.

"I didn't think it was a home run," Guerrier said. "We haven't seen many balls go out in center. I definitely think other times guys have hit balls better, but it went out. What are you going to say?"

It was a major disappointment for the largest crowd in Target Field history, which spent the first seven innings giving Thome standing ovations for his achievement.

"I talked to Jim quite a bit when I was in spring training," Killebrew said from Arizona after Thome's first homer. "I told him, 'Don't feel bad if you pass me up, because I passed up a lot of guys in my career.'"

Thome hit solo homers in the second and fourth to pass Killebrew, one of the most beloved players in Twins history. Thome drew a curtain call from 40,852 fans after the second homer and a congratulatory message from "The Killer."

"That's something that will go down in my book as one of the better moments in my career," said Thome, who met Killebrew for the first time in spring training this year. "He's a legend and a legendary person, too. That's what makes it even better."

Liriano dominated for seven innings, striking out every Rays hitter at least once. Gardenhire decided to send Alex Burnett out to start the eighth with Liriano's pitch count at 103 on a steamy day, and the bullpen with the lowest ERA in the AL faltered badly.

Burnett and Mijares could not get an out before a gassed Guerrier, who had a 1.93 ERA before Saturday, gave up the deciding runs.

"Our bullpen's been very good. Today it just didn't work out. No matter who I went to it seemed to be the wrong move," Gardenhire said. "I'll take that one on myself."

B.J. Upton went 0-for-3 with a walk in his return to the starting lineup after four days off because of a quadriceps injury. It was his first start since a confrontation with Longoria in the Rays' dugout on Sunday.

Randy Choate (1-2) pitched one inning for the win. Tampa Bay starter Wade Davis had another rough outing, giving up four runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Joe Mauer had three hits to get his average back above .300 and Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer for the Twins.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100703/SPORTS0104/7030407/Ex-Tiger-Matt-Joyce-belts-pinch-hit-grand-slam-to-down-Twins#ixzz0skalDkB9

Joyce ready to prove he can play every day
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | 02/11/11 11:15 AM EST

ST. PETERSBURG -- Matt Joyce is knocking on wood these days.

After experiencing nagging injuries the past two springs, the 26-year-old outfield hopeful has worked hard during the offseason so he can arrive in Port Charlotte, Fla. -- and depart -- in top physical condition.

In 2009, Joyce arrived at Spring Training as the guy who came to the team from the Tigers in the Edwin Jackson trade. He showed flashes of what he could do before getting derailed by a right calf strain. Last spring, he had a right elbow problem that lingered well into the season.

Recently, Joyce was asked if he will be healthy this spring.

"The million-dollar question, right," he laughed. "I'll tell you -- I've totally exhausted myself in making sure I'm healthy this Spring Training and will be healthy this whole year. I'm betting on it."

To that end, Joyce has been working out "a lot" at Tropicana Field.

"[I'm] working the little muscles," Joyce said. "I ran on the beach a lot, did my own personal workouts with the trainers some. I tried not to go crazy where I hurt myself. Right now, I feel like I'm ready to play every day."

When Joyce is right, he shows signs of being the five-star player the Rays thought they were getting when they pushed the button on the Jackson trade. Joyce can be an impact player.

In 77 games during the 2010 season, Joyce hit .241 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. Of note, 28 of his 52 hits (54 percent) were extra-base hits, and 28 of his 40 RBIs came with two outs.

Memorable among Joyce's two-out hits was the pinch-hit grand slam he hit off Minnesota's Matt Guerrier that capped a seven-run eighth inning at Target Field on July 3.

Entering the spring, Joyce will get a chance to become an everyday player, rather than just a left-handed bat who plays when right-handers pitch. If that happens, he could find himself at either of the corner-outfield positions and also be used occasionally in center when B.J. Upton needs a break.

"Well, we have some guys that we have platooned in the past that may have to play more consistently against righties and lefties -- that is Sean Rodriguez, possibly Matty Joyce [and John Jaso]," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Now may be their time to be considered regular players that play against both righties and lefties. So that's something we've talked about and considered ... to give them an opportunity to play on a regular basis. [It] would be kind of interesting to see what they can do. These are high-end guys, great athletes. They're young."

Aside from the signings of Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon, Rays management appears to have handed over the keys to the car to the youngsters. Joyce is eager to give the engine a tumble and take it for a spin.

"I have a mindset that I want to play every day," Joyce said. "I don't think anything is guaranteed. There's no set roster just yet. I want to play every day -- whether it's in left field, right field, wherever it is -- that's what I want to do, and I want to help the team win and that's what it comes down to. You want to be the guy that you can count on every day."

Based on the way many youngsters, including Joyce, got at-bats and playing time in 2010, there is little doubt the Rays knew they would be leaning on their youth this season.

"I'm sure they plan a little bit for the future," Joyce said. "They have an idea. I don't think they know exactly how it's going to work out for the future, but they have an idea. And I'm sure they tried to get us enough experience and at-bats to where we were ready to take on a full-time job or the position that they have in mind for us.

"We'll see [how things go]. We'll see. I know [I can play every day and hit left-handers]. It's just a matter of time and getting the chances to show them that you can.

"Last year when I was down in Triple-A for about three weeks, I faced a bunch of lefties and hit [them well]. So it's not like I can't do it. You just don't get the opportunity to do it, so the rare chances you do, it's like, 'I've got to try harder to show them I can do it,' and it just has the opposite effect. I'm eager to get started and play every day and get a shot to show everybody what I can do."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Rays careful with Joyce's balky back
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | 03/21/11 7:15 PM ET

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Rays outfielder Matt Joyce was scratched from Monday's starting lineup against the Yankees due to tightness in his lower back.

Joyce had been scheduled to serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup, but the Rays and Joyce both felt he would benefit most from a day of rest, not allowing the tightness to become an issue.

Joyce made it clear that he was experiencing only tightness.

"No pain," Joyce said. "I'll be in there tomorrow."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Joyce's back OK, returns to Rays' lineup
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | 03/22/11 8:37 PM ET

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After getting scratched from Monday night's lineup with a stiff back, Matt Joyce was back in the lineup hitting second and playing right field Tuesday night against the Red Sox.

"I got treatment yesterday," Joyce said. "It's fine now. [It's] nice when things work out."

Kyle Farnsworth put a scare into the Rays in the fifth inning of Monday night's game when he came up favoring his left leg after fielding Ramiro Pena's sacrifice bunt. But Farnsworth remained in the game and retired the final two batters he faced on a fly out and a strikeout.

"Nothing abnormal," manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday. "[There's] no swelling, no nothing. [It's] just one of those things, spooky moment he can't explain. He feels better."

Meanwhile, catcher John Jaso remains sidelined with soreness in his groin after getting hit while catching on Saturday against the Twins.

"He took some swings and played some catch [Tuesday]," Maddon said. "He's still sore, but he's getting better."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.