Jim Johnson agrees to a two year contract extension with the Atlanta Braves

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Connor Byrne reports the news on Sunday the Atlanta Braves have reached a two year contract extension with their right handed closer Jim Johnson. Johnson signed a one year $2.5 million dollar contract with the Atlanta Braves before the start of the 2016 Major League Baseball season. Johnson ended the 2016 baseball season with two wins and six losses with an earned run average of 3.11 with 19 saves in 22 save chances. Johnson could have entered the free agent market at the end of the current baseball season to pursue a pay raise of a chance to pitch for a playoff contender in 2017 but his relationship to his current pitching Roger McDowell was one reason he decided to renew his contract with the Braves who are currently in a rebuilding mode. Johnson has pitched in the Major Leagues as a right handed relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles from 2006-2013, Oakland Athletics and Detroit Tigers in 2014, the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 and the Braves from 2016-present. I guess Johnson feels that having a mentor like McDowell was more important to him than exploring free agency in the off season.