Padres right-hander Josh Johnson will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow and miss the entire 2014 season, tweets MLB.com’s Corey Brock.
It’s a blow to a Padres pitching staff that was hoping for big things in a rebound campaign for Johnson, though the injury does trigger a $4MM club option that the Padres will now be able to exercise. Due to his extensive injury history, Johnson’s contract — a one-year, $8MM pact — contained language that gave the Padres a $4MM club option were he to make fewer than seven starts in 2014.
Johnson didn’t take the mound for the Padres after signing the deal, as he opened the year on the disabled list with a strained flexor muscle in his right arm, which, upon further examination by Dr. James Andrews, led to the recommendation to undergo the Tommy John operation. Johnson becomes the latest in a long line of injured hurlers to undergo the procedure this year, as he is now incredibly the 16th Major League starter to need the operation in 2014 alone.
Despite the loss of Johnson (and fellow Tommy John victim Cory Luebke), San Diego’s rotation has been excellent this season. The quintet of Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy, Eric Stults and Robbie Erlin have combined for a 3.12 ERA (ninth in the Majors) and a 3.26 FIP (fifth in the Majors).
My day has been ruined.
Hmm.. Blue Jay’s may have dodged a bullet on that one.
How?
They emptied their farm for him.
That was Dickey
I’m guessing he means because they didn’t resign him or as some fans wanted, extend him a QO.
Exactly. And in fairness, that trade was about much more than Johnson. Plus they didn’t really empty their farm on it. It still looked pretty strong, afterward (at least prior to the R.A. trade).
Certainly true but Johnson was the big piece in that trade because he was thought to be the Ace the Jays needed to put them over the top. In a funny twist of fate, it may be the most overlooked piece in that trade, Buerhle, that ends up the most productive.
Jose Reyes was probably the centerpiece of that trade. Ricky Romero wasn’t yet a disaster when that trade was made, and Brandon Morrow was around more. They needed a good pitcher for sure, but R.A. Dickey was brought in right after to be the ace. JJ needed to just be fully healthy all year, and that didn’t happen. I still think with Buehrle’s re-emergence this season so far and Reyes hopefully having a nice remainder of his deal, that Toronto may end up even in this deal. Though the Dickey deal is going to be a win for the Mets most likely, unless d’Arnaud simply never hits. Thor is close and I like what I’m seeing lately from Travis, who I think will be fine. More importantly, thirteen combined cheap seasons of those two.
Ya, I’m fairly certain he meant not resign him
Hopefully he can come back healthy and pitch well.
Mark prior part
II
So thew Padres are going to pay 12 million for 2 seasons and get nothing????????
No. Read the article again.
No, you need to re-read the article…..the Padres have an “option”, hence for 2015, for 4 million. My math says, 8 + 4 = 12.
Option, meaning the Padres have the choice whether or not to resign him for that 4 million or to let him walk.
that makes it all better.
Well they’ve already burned 8 MM on nothing for this season. I think the better question is whether you want to pay 4 MM for whatever he might offer in 2015. This season’s already lost.
Introducing the entire pitching staff of your 2014 Tommy John Surgery team!
1. Kris Medlen
2. Brandon Beach
3. Patrick Corbin
4. Jarrod Parker
5. Matt Moore
Bullpen
LRP Ivan Nova
LRP Josh Johnson
MRP Jameson Taillon
MRP Luke Hochevar
SU Bruce Rondon
CL Bobby Parnell
In all seriousness, you’d have to think that this will start to become the norm as these pitchers are working harder and harder and putting more stress their arms perhaps, since they were in junior high or high school.
Unfortunately, the full list could almost fill a 25-man roster now…
How are they working harder? They are throwing less innings than at any other point in major league history…
I think his point is they’re throwing much harder, and much more often, at a very young age now. It’s becoming more common for teenagers — whose bodies may not be fully developed — to throw 95-plus. And many of them now compete in tournaments and showcases, year-round. Much of the damage is likely occurring before they’re ever drafted.
The major issue is still mechanics. A pitcher with sound mechanics is less likely to blow out his arm compared to someone with mechanics like Strasburg. You will never know what pitch or in what inning someone will blow out their arm, the one thing that is known is what mechanics will put more stress on their arm
If you want to include guys who are missing the 2014 season, you can add Matt Harvey to the top of that starting staff.
Someone else mentioned that, but the 2014 TJS team should include an ace, Matt Harvey, too. That rotation looks a lot better as Harvey/Medlen/Beachy/Corbin/Moore with Parker sliding alongside Nova in long relief and spot starter duty, Taillon filling out “emerging prospect” and Hochevar/Rondon/Parnell a nice young bullpen.
What? This is nonsense. Ivan Nova deserves to be in the starting rotation! Jarrod Parker made it? C’mon man…
No Cory Luebke?
Keep gettin’ those checks!
$4M club option triggers if he makes fewer than seven starts. Sounds like a great deal… for Johnson.
cmon what does club option mean? the club, has the option, meaning Johnson doesnt automatically get signed for next year.
I understand. My point was that the option was pretty silly. Johnson would be a very lucky guy if they exercised it.
It doesn’t vest automatically. If he made 8+ starts the option wouldn’t exist. It’s still a club option; it just came into existence when he was shut down for the year. It’s a more expensive John Lackey insurance policy.
I have a feeling that he probably could have used a TJ surgery last year… he was terrible. Something had to be wrong with his arm.
I was so sure he was going to be a Cy Young contender with his hot start in 2011 but then the injury bug got him again.