Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that pitcher DJ Johnson's (shoulder) sprained right shoulder is "pretty severe" and that the 31-year-old will miss "substantial time." He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and will get a second opinion on the injury. Johnson exited Sunday's game early with shoulder discomfort. "He felt something cracked, not popped in his shoulder," said Cash. An official timeline for Johnson will be established after a second opinion, but he's not expected to return to the mound anytime soon. Johnson wasn't in the mix for saves and can be left on the waiver wire in all league formats.
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher DJ Johnson (shoulder) Johnson was removed from Sunday's game against the Orioles with right shoulder discomfort. He recorded two outs before exiting in the sixth inning. "He felt something cracked, not popped in his shoulder," said manager Kevin Cash. Johnson will head to St. Petersburg, FL, for further evaluation. The 31-year-old has appeared in only four games this season, owning a 2.08 ERA, 0.46 WHIP, and five strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings. Johnson is considered day-to-day.
The Cleveland Guardians traded outfielder Jordan Luplow and pitcher DJ Johnson to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Peyton Battenfield. Luplow was activated from the 60-day injured list on Friday and had been sidelined since late May with an ankle injury. He will head to Tampa Bay and give the Rays outfield depth. The 27-year-old is slashing .173/.331/.439 with seven home runs, 20 RBI, and 12 runs scored over 36 games in 2021. With the move to Tampa Bay, Luplow is expected to receive most of his playing against lefties and is not on the fantasy radar in 2021. As for Johnson, he's appeared in only one game for the Guardians and will provide the Rays minor league bullpen depth.
The Colorado Rockies optioned D.J. Johnson to Triple-A to make room for their returning ace, Kyle Freeland. Johnson has had a horrific first month to the season in the Rockies bullpen, posting a 5.59 ERA on a ridiculous 9/9 K/BB ratio. In a bullpen where just about everyone has struggled, Johnson had started to right the ship a little bit, having logged three straight outings without giving up any runs. Unfortunately, he was the one who was sent down for now. If he can find his way back to the big club, there's a chance that he could turn into a decent setup man, but most people tend to avoid a bullpen that plays in Coors regularly.
DJ Johnson
• RP
•
Rays
