DANIEL JOHNSON NEWS

Opts for free agency Johnson elected to become a free agent Thursday, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.

Impact Johnson was pushed off the 40-man roster earlier in the day, and he'll now test his luck in the open market. The 29-year-old outfielder logged just one plate appearance in the majors in 2024 -- his first in three seasons -- but slashed .259/.320/.448 across 118 games with Triple-A Norfolk.

OCTOBER 31 • ROTOWIRE

Removed from 40-man roster The Orioles outrighted Johnson to Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday.

Impact Johnson received one plate appearance with the Orioles this season in what was his first game in the majors since 2021. Because he's been outrighted before, he has the ability to elect free agency if he wants.

OCTOBER 31 • ROTOWIRE

Optioned to Triple-A The Orioles optioned Johnson to Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.

Impact Johnson is clearing out to make room on the roster for the returns of Jordan Westburg (hand) and Ramon Urias (ankle) from the injured list. He was with the big club for just one day, receiving one plate appearance after entering as a pinch runner.

SEPTEMBER 22 • ROTOWIRE

Joining big-league club The Orioles selected Johnson's contract from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.

Impact Johnson will provide some outfield depth for Baltimore as Cedric Mullins (neck) nurses a minor injury. Johnson replaces Coby Mayo on the active roster. Johnson hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2021 and the 28-year-old is slashing .259/.320/.448 in 500 plate appearances with Norfolk this season.

SEPTEMBER 21 • ROTOWIRE

Clears waivers The Guardians outrighted Johnson to Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday.

Impact Though Johnson was once a prospect of some repute, his underwhelming body of work across various stints in the big leagues the past two seasons likely played a factor in him going unclaimed off waivers after he was recently booted off the Guardians' 40-man roster. He'll thus remain in Cleveland's organization heading into 2022, but his lack of a 40-man spot could make it difficult for him to resurface at the big-league level. The lefty-hitting outfielder owns a .202/.245/.337 slash line (52 wRC+) across 94 career plate appearances with Cleveland.

NOVEMBER 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Loses spot on 40-man roster Johnson was designated for assignment by the Guardians on Friday.

Impact Johnson appeared in 30 major-league games last year and hit .221 with four homers, nine runs, five RBI and a stolen base. However, he spent the final few weeks of the season in the minors and will now lose his spot on the 40-man roster.

NOVEMBER 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

What I'm hearing about the roster as the season comes to close - Tribe Scribbles Here's a list of names: Yu Chang, Daniel Johnson, Oscar Mercado, Bradley Zimmer and Andres Gimenez. Whose stock is rising?

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 • CLEVELAND.COM

Sent to Triple-A Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.

Impact Johnson has only played in five games in September, going 1-for-11 with a walk, a run scored and four strikeouts. He'll be able to get more consistent at-bats with Columbus.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Takes seat in Ramirez's return Johnson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals.

Impact Johnson will head to the bench after he went hitless in seven at-bats while starting in each of the past three games. Though he recently appeared to have leapfrogged Oscar Mercado on Cleveland's depth chart in left field, Johnson's path to regular at-bats versus right-handed pitching may be blocked after Harold Ramirez (knee) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Playing time picking up Johnson will start in left field and bat eighth Sunday against the Red Sox.

Impact Included in the starting nine for the third time in four games, Johnson may have usurped the struggling Oscar Mercado as Cleveland's primary option in left field. The lefty-hitting Johnson will still likely find himself on the bench frequently against left-handed pitching, with the righty-hitting Mercado serving as a short-side platoon mate.

AUGUST 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Goes yard Tuesday Johnson went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk Tuesday against the Rangers.

Impact Johnson has only 12 plate appearances since being recalled Aug. 16. However, he's taken advantage by logging two home runs and also tacking on two multi-hit performances across three starts. Despite the strong effort in the limited sample, Johnson isn't likely to see an uptick in playing time anytime soon as Harold Ramirez (knee) began a rehab assignment Tuesday and could return in short order.

AUGUST 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Homers in win Johnson went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a single in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Twins.

Impact In his first game back with the big club since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Monday, Johnson took Twins starter Bailey Ober deep in the fifth inning to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead. He later tacked on a base hit. Cleveland's acquisition of Myles Straw slashed Johnson's playing time.

AUGUST 18, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Recalled by Cleveland Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Monday, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.

Impact Johnson spent two weeks in the minors and hit .250 with a home run, a triple, two doubles, seven RBI and four runs since being sent down. He'll return to the major-league roster after Logan Allen was optioned to Triple-A.

AUGUST 16, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Ticketed for Triple-A Cleveland optioned Johnson to Triple-A Columbus on Monday, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Impact Johnson had started in only one of Cleveland's last four games, as the club's recent acquisition of Myles Straw from the Astros had seemingly bumped the 26-year-old down a peg in the outfield pecking order. During his three-plus-week stint in the big leagues, Johnson appeared in 15 games and slashed .257/.278/.429. Johnson will get the opportunity to play on an everyday basis once he heads back to Columbus.

AUGUST 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Records steal Friday Johnson went 1-for-2 with a stolen base in Friday's 6-4 loss to the White Sox.

Impact The 26-year-old snapped his 0-for-6 skid at the plate with the hit, and he recorded his first steal of the year on his first attempt. Johnson owns a .205/.222/.341 slash line with two home runs, two RBI and four runs scored in 45 plate appearances. Despite Cleveland shipping out Eddie Rosario (abdomen) and Jordan Luplow at the trade deadline, the team's acquisition of Myles Straw will likely keep Johnson in a platoon role at best.

JULY 31, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Takes seat versus lefty Johnson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.

Impact With southpaw Kwang Hyun Kim on the hill for St. Louis, the lefty-hitting Johnson will give way to platoon mate Oscar Mercado in the series finale. Since his July 7 call-up, Johnson hasn't made a compelling case to stick around long-term as a mainstay in the lineup. He's slashing .242/.265/.424 through 14 games this month.

JULY 28, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting against lefty Johnson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.

Impact Johnson appears to have settled into the strong side of a platoon with Oscar Mercado in right field while Cleveland awaits Eddie Rosario's (abdomen) return from the injured list. The lefty-hitting Johnson will take a seat in the series finale with southpaw Ryan Yarbrough on the bump for Tampa Bay.

JULY 25, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Homers as pinch hitter Johnson hit a solo home run in his only at-bat during Friday's 10-5 loss to Tampa Bay.

Impact Johnson went deep in the bottom of the ninth inning when he pinch hit for catcher Austin Hedges. It's the second homer of the year for Johnson. The outfielder has added a .222/.243/.389 slash line with two RBI and four runs scored through 37 plate appearances. He's likely remain in a bench role, with Harold Ramirez, Oscar Mercado and Bradley Zimmer (illness) seeing most of the playing time in the outfield with Eddie Rosario (abdomen) out.

JULY 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Sits after four straight starts Johnson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros.

Impact Johnson will take a seat after he started in right field in each of the past four games, going 5-for-14 with a solo home run and a walk over that span. He'll likely be competing for one spot in the Cleveland outfield with Oscar Mercado in most games while Eddie Rosario (abdomen) is on the shelf.

JULY 21, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Slams first career homer Johnson went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Athletics.

Impact Johnson's first MLB home run was the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning off Chris Bassitt. He was recently called up to replace Eddie Rosario (abdomen). This came after Johnson scored his first run in MLB Friday. The 25-year-old is 4-for-22 in his limited playing time this season, and is likely a temporary replacement.

JULY 19, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Recalled Wednesday, starting Game 1 Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Columbus prior to Wednesday's doubleheader against the Rays.

Impact Johnson went 0-for-9 during a brief two-game sting with the big club in early May before he was sent to Triple-A. With Eddie Rosario (abdomen) landing on the IL, the outfielder is getting the call back to the big leagues despite slashing an underwhelming .218/.298/.420 across 215 plate appearances with Columbus. He's starting Game 1 of the twin bill in right field, but is likely to serve primarily as an extra outfielder going forward.

JULY 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Sent down Monday Johnson was optioned to Cleveland's taxi squad Monday.

Impact Johnson had started in each of the last two games, but he struck out in each of his five at-bats Sunday. He'll travel with the team on the taxi squad during the Royals' current road trip, but outfielder Harold Ramirez was recalled to take Johnson's place on the active roster.

MAY 3, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Called up, starting Johnson has been recalled by Cleveland and is starting Saturday's game against the White Sox.

Impact Johnson will serve as an option in the outfield in the coming days after Franmil Reyes was placed on the paternity list in a corresponding move. He'll start in right field and lead off Saturday.

MAY 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Goodyear Scribbles: Daniel Johnson to minors, counting on Josh Naylor – Terry Pluto After a strong camp, Daniel Johnson was understandably disappointed by being sent to the minors. What's the plan?

MARCH 20, 2021 • CLEVELAND.COM

Won't break camp in big leagues Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Friday.

Impact Cleveland just doesn't seem to like Johnson as much as his numbers suggest he deserves. Despite the team's lack of established talent in the outfield and his own .290/.361/.507 slash line in the upper minors in 2019, he got into just five major-league games last season. There are still plenty of at-bats seemingly available in the outfield this season, but Johnson's .368/.380/.580 slash line through nine spring games evidently didn't get him particularly close to breaking camp with the team.

MARCH 19, 2021 • ROTOWIRE