Johnson shut down for remainder of season

SAN DIEGO -- Padres assistant general manager Fred Uhlman Jr. announced Sunday that Josh Johnson would not throw the rest of the season.

"We are shutting him down," Uhlman Jr. said. "We will consult with Dr. Andrews on Tuesday and come up with a plan to move forward. He definitely wants to continue to pitch and that's the path that he is going to go down and we are going to go down. But right now I think the best thing from our perspective and his perspective is to shut it down the remainder of the season."

In Johnson's rehab start with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore on Friday, his first start since undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 2014, he faced one batter, gave up a hit and threw four pitches and exited the game after feeling discomfort in the throwing elbow and down his arm.

On Saturday Johnson met with Dr. Hoenecke, the team's physician.

The 31-year-old right-hander hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2013. It's been a long road for Johnson, who rehabbed from his April 24, 2014, surgery, with the hopes of being able to make it back for the 2015 season But he had a setback in April, when he developed tightness in the nerves in his neck and his throwing program was halted, essentially forcing him to start over.

Uhlman Jr. said that Johnson is a little frustrated with another setback, but he credited Johnson's positivity and work ethic throughout the process.

"He is one of the hardest working guys we have ever had in this club in terms of a guy trying to come back from multiple surgeries. If there is anybody that could do this and come back from this, Josh is probably the guy," Uhlman Jr .said. "He's a great teammate, even though he hasn't been on the field he's been a great teammate. He's pulling for these guys, he is trying to help some of the younger guys. He's always in it. A lot of the guys that are on the DL for a long time, sort of shut it down and distance themselves he's been as much part of this team as anybody from Day One."