Padres decline Josh Johnson's $4M option
The San Diego Padres declined Josh Johnson's $4 million option Thursday, but it doesn't mean the team is completely cutting ties with the right-hander.
"With Josh, he's a guy that everyone has a positive feel for," general manager A.J. Preller told Corey Brock of MLB.com. "We'll try to go down the road with him and try to present something to him that makes sense to him."
The Padres signed Johnson to a one-year, $8 million deal that included a $4 million option for 2015 if he failed to make at least seven starts. That clause was enabled after the 30-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in April after failing to pitch a single inning.
"I look at [my time in San Diego] as unfinished business," Johnson said. "It has been very tough to sit here and watch it all. But I think I've actually learned more this year than any other years in the past put together.
"And as far as the organization goes, I couldn't have hoped for anything better. They've been amazing. Not just the training staff, either, but everyone here ... there's been a lot of support."
A two-time All-Star, Johnson last pitched in 2013 while a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. In 16 starts with the Blue Jays, the 30-year-old posted a 2-8 record and 6.20 ERA across 81 1/3 innings.