Right-hander Jim Johnson has signed a two-year extension with the Braves, per a report by MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.
Johnson was picked up by Atlanta in 2015 as a stop-gap while closer Jason Grilli was on the mend from a torn Achilles tendon, and went to the Dodgers in three-way deal that saw him log just 18 2/3 innings in Los Angeles. The Braves re-signed the reliever in the 2015 offseason to a one-year, $2.5M deal through 2016.
The 33-year-old has been the Braves’ most valuable contributor out of the bullpen this season, posting 1.3 fWAR and a 3.11 ERA over 66 2/3 innings pitched. According to Bowman, much of Johnson’s success hinges on his relationship with Braves’ pitching coach Roger McDowell, who has developed a reputation for turning out serviceable bullpen arms. Since his return to Atlanta, Johnson has seen marked improvements across the board, bringing his FIP down from 3.73 in 2015 to 2.77 in 2016 and seeing his 9.33 K/9 rate hit an all-time high.
No details have been released yet regarding the figures for Johnson’s extension.
