Jim Johnson out 8-10 weeks with elbow injury

Orioles reliever Jim Johnson was examined today by Dr. James Andrews and has been diagnosed with “a small tear in his right elbow.” Andrews advised Johnson to rest for at least 8-10 weeks, but Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reports that “if things don’t improve in four weeks he could be facing season-ending Tommy John ligament-reconstruction surgery.” Johnson posted a 3.18 ERA in 138.2 innings for the Orioles during the past two seasons, including a couple stints as closer, but was demoted back to Triple-A last month after allowing seven runs in 9.2 innings while opponents hit .349 with a .916 OPS against him. Now the 27-year-old right-hander seems likely to miss the remainder of this season and possibly most of 2011.