The Braves signed former All-Star reliever Jim Johnson to a one-year, $1.6 million contract Wednesday, hoping he can return to something resembling his pre-2014 form.
Johnson, 31, led the major leagues in saves with 51 in 2012 as Baltimore’s closer, and tied Braves closer Craig Kimbrel with a majors-leading 50 saves in 2013. But the 6-foot-6 right-hander’s decline last season was precipitous, his ERA more than doubling to 7.09 in 54 appearances with Oakland and Detroit.
After being traded to the Athletics in December 2013, he signed a one-year, $10 million deal. Johnson converted two saves in 38 appearances for Oakland, lost his closer job early and was released Aug. 1 with a 6.92 ERA and 60 hits allowed in 40 1/3 innings. He signed with Detroit five days later.
Johnson had a 2.49 ERA and 1.019 WHIP in 2012 and 2.94/1.28 in 2013, appearing in 145 games during those two seasons and striking out 97, with only 33 walks in 139 innings. While his strikeout rate increased in 2014 — 42 in 53 1/3 innings — his walks total ballooned to a career-high 35, more than his previous two seasons combined.
Before moving to the full-time closer role, Johnson had a 2.67 ERA in a career-high 91 innings for Baltimore over 69 appearances in 2011. His three-year totals for 2011-13 with the O’s: a whopping 230 innings in 214 relief appearances
It’s not clear if his decline was a result of the workload, but there was plenty of speculation along those lines.
Johnson signed a major league contract with the Braves, who had an open roster spot after non-tendering reliever Gus Schlosser on Tuesday. He can earn up to $900,000 in additional performance incentives.
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