Joe Boyle

Joseph Patrick Boyle (born August 14, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics.

Amateur career Boyle spent seven years living in the St. Louis metropolitan area and originally attended Fort Zumwalt West High School in O'Fallon, Missouri. He graduated from North Oldham High School in Goshen, Kentucky, where he played baseball. As a senior in 2017, he earned All-State honors. He opted out of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, and enrolled at the University of Notre Dame to play college baseball.

As a freshman for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team in 2018, Boyle pitched two innings in which he gave up four earned runs and eight walks. That summer, he played in the Northwoods League for the Kalamazoo Growlers. He also briefly played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers. In 2019, as a sophomore, Boyle made 18 relief appearances and went 3–3 with a 5.96 ERA, 39 strikeouts, and 27 walks over innings. After the season, he returned to the Cape Cod Baseball League and played for the Harwich Mariners where he posted a 2.14 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 21 innings and was named a league all-star. Boyle pitched innings for the 2020 season in which he posted a 3.24 ERA with 17 strikeouts and 13 walks before the remainder of the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professional career Cincinnati Reds Boyle was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth round, with the 143rd overall selection, of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. Boyle signed with the Reds, but did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He made his professional debut in 2021 with the Single-A Daytona Tortugas, posting a 3.55 ERA over innings while missing time due to injury. Boyle opened the 2022 season with the High-A Dayton Dragons. He was named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Month for May. In early August, Boyle was promoted to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts. Over 23 games (22 starts) between both teams, Boyle went 3–6 with a 2.86 ERA, 153 strikeouts, and 84 walks over innings. He returned to Chattanooga to open the 2023 season. Across 19 games with Chattanooga, Boyle went 6-5 with a 4.50 ERA, 122 strikeouts, and 75 walks across 84 innings.

Oakland Athletics On July 31, 2023, Boyle was traded to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for Sam Moll. He posted a 2–1 record and 2.08 ERA across three starts for the Double–A Midland RockHounds before he was promoted to the Triple–A Las Vegas Aviators. In three starts for Las Vegas, he recorded a 2.25 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 16 innings of work.

On September 17, 2023, the Athletics selected Boyle's contract to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut as Oakland's starting pitcher that night at Oakland Coliseum versus the San Diego Padres, throwing three scoreless innings in which he struck out four and walked two in a 10–1 Athletics loss. Boyle pitched a total of 16 innings for the Athletics in 2023 and had a 2-0 record, a 1.69 ERA, and 15 strikeouts.

Boyle was named the fifth starter for the Athletics prior to the start of the 2024 season. In his first start, Boyle lasted innings, giving up eight runs. The Oakland defense made five errors while he was on the mound. On May 6, he was placed on the injured list with a low back strain. He was activated on June 5 and then optioned to Las Vegas. Boyle was recalled by Oakland on August 13 before he was optioned back to Las Vegas on September 4, with whom he finished the 2024 season. Across 13 games (10 starts) for Oakland in 2024, Boyle struggled to a 3-6 record and 6.42 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 40 walks across innings pitched. With Las Vegas, he had a 1-3 record, a 5.12 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 39 walks over innings.

Tampa Bay Rays On December 14, 2024, the Athletics traded Boyle, Will Simpson, Jacob Watters, and a Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2025 MLB draft to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez. He was optioned to the Triple-A Durham Bulls to begin the 2025 season. Boyle split the season between Durham and Tampa Bay. Across 13 appearances (nine starts) for the Rays, Boyle went 1-4 with a 4.67 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 52 innings. Boyle made 17 starts for Durham and had a 1.88 ERA with 114 strikeouts across 86 innings; he was also named an International League All-Star.

Boyle was optioned to Durham to begin the 2026 season. However, following an injury to Ryan Pepiot, Boyle was included as part of Tampa Bay's Opening Day roster. Boyle was placed on the injured list on April 11 with a right elbow strain. He was activated on May 18 and optioned to Durham.