WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Athletics have acquired right-handed pitcher Jared Johnson from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for infielder Nick Allen, the club announced today.
Johnson spent the 2024 season at High-A Rome of the South Atlantic League and was 7-4 with eight saves, a 2.60 ERA and .594 opponents OPS in 38 relief appearances. He held the opposition to a .206 batting average and struck out 62 batters in 52.0 innings while walking 27. The 23-year-old right-hander surrendered just two home runs in 52.0 innings. Johnson was the Braves 14th round selection in the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Smithville (Miss.) High School and is 12-14 with 12 saves, a 3.98 ERA and .685 opponents OPS in 87 games, including 28 starts in four minor league seasons. He missed the 2020 season due to the pandemic and the 2022 season after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery.
Allen batted .175 with a home run, four RBI and a .463 OPS in 41 games with the A’s last year and .345 with seven home runs, 51 RBI, 16 stolen bases and a .928 OPS in 81 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. He was originally selected by the A’s in the third round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft and made his Major League debut in 2022. The 26-year-old right-handed hitter is a .209 hitter with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 247 games over three seasons in the majors, all with the A’s.
