The Tigers have agreed to a minor league deal with righty Jim Johnson, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. The longtime Orioles closer lost his 9th-inning gig not long after joining the Athletics this year, and was ultimately released by Oakland.
It’s obviously a low-risk move for Detroit, which has dedicated plenty of attention to shoring up the pen. Johnson can audition and provide depth in the minors, while of course also providing that always elusive late-inning experience if the need arises down the stretch.
Johnson has never been an outright dominant reliever in the sense of maintaining high strikeout rates or wielding unhittable stuff, but he certainly has a history of effectiveness. Still only 31, Johnson racked up three straight seasons of sub-3.00 ERA ball in Baltimore over 2011-13 before hitting a wall with the A’s. Though he continued to induce tons of ground balls with his heavy sinker, Johnson became highly susceptible to the long ball (17.2% HR/FB rate) and suddenly lost his usually solid control (5.13 BB/9).
Johnson had recently worked out for the Orioles, which seemed a natural fit — except for the fact that the big league bullpen really did not have an opening. Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweeted last night that Johnson had chosen to sign elsewhere. After taking on his $10MM salary by trade before the year, the A’s will still be responsible for the balance, less only the league minimum rate (for whatever stretch Johnson ends up spending in Detroit).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Would have liked to see him back with the O’s. Well, in Norfolk.
Was Jose Valverde not available this year?
What could go wrong?
Low risk, high reward move. Looking forward to seeing if he can regain his past form. Nice little move.
If he pitches in a meaningful game, it will be high risk
That was funny
Wow
Johnson pitches well enough in the minors to secure a spot in the Tigers’ bullpen come late August or early September, pitches well enough in the bullpen to get a spot on the postseason roster, pitches decently in the 1st round of the playoffs to make it to the ALCS roster where they face the A’s, then Johnson proceeds to get the loss in Game 7 as well as a blown save (pitching in the 7th) earlier in the series. Johnson proceeds to be one the key Tigers preventing them from advancing, and the A’s get their revenge back on both Johnson and the Tigers.
…and THAT would be the way the A’s would get the full value out of the contract we gave Jim Johnson!!!
Wait, I’m confused; is there some sort of money exchange that goes back to the A’s? Or am I falling for sarcasm?
Nope, just a joke. A’s are still paying his full salary, minus the league minimum that Detroit will be paying if he gets called up.
If any team trust him in the playoffs they are desperate. He had a few sporadic good innings for the A’s but most of the time it was not good.
“They made that move for us” – A’s Players
Athletics need to start worrying about the Angels before the Tigers; don’t put the cart before the horse.
Interesting that they did not put a claim on local boy lefty Matt Thornton. Seems they feel our leftys will be enough. Johnson is a very low risk/high reward move. He may just need some tinkering and has 3 weeks to prove he deserves to be on the Major League roster. It would be ironic if he turns himself around and helps Detroit get to the World Series and the A’s footing the bill (except league min. salary).
And as it “projects” currently Baltimore vs. Detroit ALDS (very interesting)
Thornton has almost $4 million guaranteed next year. I suspect they didn’t want to touch that.
Detroit is the Island of Washed-Up Closers. Nathan, Soria, JJ, Hanrahan…I fully expect Bobby Jenks and Byung-Hyun Kim to get tryouts soon.
They could count on Kim to give up homers in the playoffs.
And then make obscene gestures at the crowd, as memory serves.
Followed finally by wearing socks on his hands during the national anthem to prevent future obscene gestures
Haha, I was going to point out the same thing. Detroit is becoming a closers’ graveyeard
That’s funny, they have a NL counter part in the Dodgers, with Wilson, Perez, League…. I’m actually surprised they didn’t jump on Johnson, guess Detroit really is the Island of Washed-Up Closers.
I would have bet a day’s pay that I was never going to hear the name Bobby Jenks again. Oh, well…
You forgot Joba Chamberlain.
At league minimum, why not? When your bullpen is one of the worst in the league, might as well try it out.
Sweeeet.
From the second he was released, I told anybody who would listen that the Tigers NEEDED to sign Jim Johnson. I think this is a fantastic move. Pretty much no risk at all. Hopefully, he’ll return to his old form. If he does, that will be a crucial addition to the Tiger bullpen.
I am so glad all the experts here are so sure Johnson is washed up and Dombrowski was foolish to sign him. That was exactly the reaction to the Tigers signing Joba Chamberlain in the off season. If Johnson washes out in 2-3 minor league appearances, no harm done. If he doesn’t, he is a low cost reliever who has gotten big league hitters out in pressure situations in the recent past.