The Toronto Blue Jays placed right-hander Josh Johnson on the 15 day disabled list with inflammation in his right triceps and recalled former All-Star left-hander Ricky Romero from the minor leagues. Romero will start Friday at home against the Seattle Mariners.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Romero was the only serious candidate to replace Johnson in the rotation. Romero has been in Dunedin ironing out his mechanics.
“If we didn’t feel good about it, and he didn’t feel good about it, he wouldn’t be coming here,” Gibbons said. “He’s been around the league a while. He’s had a lot of success here. It’s not like he’s battling that, being a greenhorn.”
Johnson was acquired this past off-season as part of the mega trade with the Miami Marlins. Through four starts this season with the Blue Jays Johnson is pitching to a 6.86 ERA with a record of 0-1.
The Blue Jays entered the 2013 season with high hopes with the addition of Johnson, Jose Reyes (DL), Mark Buehrle (6.43 ERA), John Buck, and Emilio Bonifacio (.179), but has struggled over the first month of the season with eight 10-18 record. Buck has since moved on as part of the trade that brought R.A. Dickey to Toronto. The Blue Jays are currently 9 1/2 games behind the Boston Red Sox
