Johnson (elbow) said Tuesday that he will start his throwing program in mid-January with the goal of pitching in rehab games in the minors in August, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. "Pretty much I can do everything except for actually throwing a baseball or throwing medicine balls. As far as upper-body lifts, I'm pretty much cleared for all that stuff," Johnson said. "I'm hoping to be able to pitch by next August, maybe in some Complex League games."

EDGE Analysis

The Orioles acquired Johnson in a three-way trade-deadline deal with the Rays and Astros on Aug. 1, even though Baltimore had the knowledge that the right-hander was scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery just two days later. Baltimore might have seen the impending procedure as an advantageous time to buy low on the 24-year-old, who impressed with a 3.00 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 41:11 K:BB in 27 innings over his seven starts at High-A Bowling Green in Tampa Bay's organization this past season before injuring his elbow. Johnson, who was added to the Orioles' 40-man roster earlier this month, appears to have thus far responded well to surgery, but he'll still spend most of the 2023 campaign in rehab mode. Even a small setback during his throwing program would likely prompt the Orioles to shut him down for the 2023 season with the hope of having him at 100 percent for spring training in 2024.