Former Blue Jays’ pitcher Josh Johnson will open season on DL

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Johnson. His name alone can make both Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays fans cringe. As most Blue Jays fans know, Josh was the reason Toronto approached the Marlins last off-season. But as most Marlins fans could’ve warned us, Johnson was injured most of the season.

Now guess what……. He’s injured again!

I remember when I first learned who Josh Johnson was. As 15-year-old boy (I think) I opened a pack of Upper Deck baseball cards and pulled out a Josh Johnson rookie card. After reading the description then seeing him pitch a few times, I was a fan. And when I heard that he was coming to the Jays I was more than excited. But the disappointment he brought to the Marlins and Blue Jays is well documented.

His history of arm injuries include Tommy John surgery and a serious shoulder strain. Last season he missed time with a strained forearm and triceps inflammation. Now he is out with a strained flexor muscle and Padres’ manger Bud Black says the best case scenario is that he misses four to five weeks (h/t Bill Shaikin, LA Times).

For Blue Jays fans we know this case all to well. I already said that I called him to be the AL Cy Young award winner. Boy was I wrong. Before the start of the season the Blue Jays were the World Series favourite going into the start of the season last year (according the Vegas but what do they know?). The Blue Jays’ season can be compared to Johnson’s season: painful to watch.

As for many Blue Jays fans, they are happy to see JJ gone and giving another team stress. But keep in mind we have two pitchers who we are our “Josh Johnsons”. Brandon Morrow needs to stay healthy and preform as most of us believes he is capable of. As per Dustin McGowan, Toronto hasn’t given up on him and he is trying to earn the final rotation spot. But if these two pitchers go down this season would you be surprised?