Minneapolis, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - Jim Johnson's role as closer for the Oakland Athletics lasted eight games.
Athletics manager Bob Melvin said before Thursday's game against the Minnesota Twins that he is going to give Johnson "a break" from the closer role.
Johnson is 0-2 with an 18.90 ERA in five games this season. He has just one save, blown a save and has walked six and yielded nine hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Melvin said he would go with closer-by-committee until Johnson worked himself out or one of the candidates stepped up.
Johnson was acquired from the Orioles in an offseason trade. He went 3-8 with 50 saves and a 2.94 ERA in a career-high 74 games with the Orioles last season. He posted 122 saves in 360 appearances with Baltimore, saving 101 games his last two seasons with the club.
[SportsNetwork.com]
