You have to feel for Josh Johnson. The former Marlins ace, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since a 16 start season for the Blue Jays in 2013, will have his *third* Tommy John surgery after experiencing a setback with the Padres on a rehab assignment.
Padres righthander Josh Johnson, still aiming for another comeback, is having a third Tommy John surgery soon, according to sources.
Johnson, who recently had a setback in his latest comeback attempt while on a rehab pitching assignment, is scheduling it soon, likely sometime next week.
Johnson first had Tommy John surgery way back in 2007 when he was a 23-year old with the Marlins. From 2008-2010 with Miami (then still just “Florida”), Johnson pitched to a 2.94 ERA over 480 innings, striking out 454 and walking just 133. But he made only nine starts in 2011 while dealing with shoulder inflammation, and struggled in 2012, notching a 3.81 ERA, 165 strikeouts and 65 walks in 191 1/3 innings.
The Marlins then shipped Johnson to Toronto in the Jose Reyes blockbuster, and while he struck out 83 in 81 1/3 innings, he had a 6.20 ERA while dealing with numerous injuries. Johnson then signed with the Padres prior to the 2014 season for $8 million, had Tommy John surgery in April, and re-signed with the team for $1 million this past January. Johnson never threw a pitch in the majors for San Diego, and faced only one batter in the rehab stint where he re-aggravated his elbow injury.
The list of two-time Tommy John survivors isn’t exactly long – Brandon Beachy, Chris Capuano, Daniel Hudson, Kris Medlen, and Joakim Soria are the most notable players to undergo the surgery twice that came back to pitch at the major league level. But three? That’s an exclusive club that Johnson will be joining along with Jonny Venters. If he pitches in the majors again, it won’t be until 2017 – at the absolute earliest.
