ANAHEIM, Calif. – Throughout his recent struggles Josh Johnson has remained his even-keeled, laid-back self, but that doesn’t mean the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander hasn’t at times felt like letting loose and smashing things.
“I want to, really bad,” he said with a grin Saturday afternoon. “Maybe after the last start I might have.”
Johnson allowed seven runs in 2.1 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, his career-high sixth consecutive loss, but pushed those frustrations aside for a bullpen with pitching coach Pete Walker and catcher Josh Thole that he described as “a lot better than the past ones … a real good one.”
The focal points were “working on down in the zone … getting the fastball down there, and being able to repeat it,” and along with being pleased by some curveballs, the six-foot-seven starter found plenty to build on.
“I’m just getting comfortable on the (first-base) side of the rubber, that’s a big part of it, threw some good curveballs in there finally, throwing them for strikes and being able to bounce it,” said Johnson. “Just a much tighter spin, slider was good, trying to take a little off the split, just a really good bullpen.”
Johnson’s next scheduled start is Tuesday in Seattle and while manager John Gibbons had vaguely intimated that the Blue Jays had kicked around skipping him a start, it sounds like he’s a go to face the Mariners. One tweak being considered is having him work with Thole instead of J.P. Arencibia for a fresh look.
At 1-8 with a 6.60 earned-run average over 15 starts, Johnson is in the midst of one of the most trying stretches in his career. Gibbons mentioned that his pitcher has some tendonitis in his left knee earlier this week, but the pending free agent refused to use that as an excuse.
“I’ve had it since I was 11-years-old, so that’s nothing new. Sometimes it will be sore, and actually it feels the best it has all year. So, not one bit (is a factor of late),” said Johnson. “Sometimes it will come, sometimes it will go, but 90, 95 per cent of the time it’s a non-issue. Sometimes it will flare up and be sore, but I haven’t really had a bad episode with it so far.”
Asked if the pain in his plant leg could keep him from getting the ball down in the zone, Johnson replied: “I don’t think so. I remember one start last year it was hurting pretty bad and I just got through it and was throwing the ball really well. I was throwing the ball down in the zone, it wasn’t a problem. It hasn’t bothered me really at all.”
All of which has only added to the mystery of his struggles.
“I’d rather have something hurt and throw the ball better instead of feeling good and throwing the ball like this,” said Johnson. “Maybe I need to hurt my toe or something, and get on the right track.”
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HAPP ON THE WAY: The Blue Jays will need a starter for next Wednesday in Seattle after the demotion of Todd Redmond following Friday’s contest, and it looks like J.A. Happ will make his return from the disabled list.
Manager John Gibbons said “it’ll probably be Happ,” and that the Blue Jays would run with a nine-man bullpen until then.
Happ made his fifth rehab start on Friday, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 4.2 innings for triple-A Buffalo and was “solid, he’s healthy,” said Gibbons.
“He threw a lot of pitches (95), but that’s what he does,” Gibbons added.
The left-hander has been on the disabled list since May 8 with a knee sprain suffered as he collapsed after taking a line drive off the head.