Jason Johnson (baseball)

Jason Johnson
Johnson with the Las Vegas 51s
Pitcher
Born: (1973-10-27) October 27, 1973 (age 43) Santa Barbara, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: August 27, 1997, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
NPB: 2007, for the Seibu Lions
Last appearance
NPB: 2007, for the Seibu Lions
MLB: September 26, 2008, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	56–100
Earned run average	4.99
Strikeouts	810
NPB statistics
Win–loss record	1–4
Earned run average	4.35
Strikeouts	19
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1997) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998) Baltimore Orioles (1999–2003) Detroit Tigers (2004–2005) Cleveland Indians (2006) Boston Red Sox (2006) Cincinnati Reds (2006) Seibu Lions (2007) Los Angeles Dodgers (2008)

Jason Michael Johnson (born October 27, 1973) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He throws and bats right-handed.

Johnson graduated from Conner High School in Hebron, Kentucky. He did not enter college, but was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an undrafted free agent in 1992. After debuting with the Pirates in 1997, he has gone on to play for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seibu Lions, and Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2001, he received the Tony Conigliaro Award. On June 8, 2005, Johnson became the first Tigers pitcher to hit a home run in a regular season game since Les Cain in 1971. The homer came against Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jeff Weaver, at Dodger Stadium.

Johnson's five-year tenure in Baltimore was moderately successful and he became known as an inning-eating starting pitcher as he matured. After enduring two losing seasons with Detroit, Johnson signed with Cleveland prior to the 2006 season. He fared no better there, going 3-8 with a 5.96 ERA. He was designated for assignment on June 22, 2006. Before he decided whether or not to accept the assignment, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for cash. In Boston, his time as a member of the Red Sox was disastrous, going 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA. On August 18, 2006, Johnson was designated for assignment by the Red Sox and quickly signed to a minor league contract by the Cincinnati Reds.