Josh Johnson Moved To Disabled List

Noooooooo!!! Huge blow for Marlins as JJ suffers shoulder inflammation

On the bright side, at least no shaving cream was involved this time. But news out of Sun Life will still sting Marlins fans like a razor cut: the Fish have moved ace Josh Johnson and his league-leading 1.64 ERA to the 15-day disabled list.

JJ, who was scheduled to start Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays, says he has been experiencing discomfort in his right (pitching) shoulder "pretty much the whole year." 

After his velocity dipped to 91 m.p.h. in his last start Monday against the Mets, and he was unable to work out stiffness in Thursday's bullpen session, Johnson decided it was time to confess to the coaching staff.

"It took everything I had to go and say something," he said. "Once I did, it almost felt better. Something lifted off my shoulders. Now I can get it right and get back to feeling good like I did at the beginning of the season."

An MRI Friday revealed inflammation, or what more hysterical fans will call Chad Pennington Papier-Mâché Shoulder Syndrome. But Johnson, whose assignment to the disabled list is retroactive to May 17, say he doesn't expect to miss more than two starts. 

The Marlins called up right-hander Jay Buente from Triple-A New Orleans to start against Tampa Bay, and moved infielder Donnie Murphy to the 60-day disabled list to make room.

This season, JJ (3-1) has made nine starts and struck out 56 in 60 1/3 innings. He was named National League Pitcher of the Month in April -- just the second Marlin in history to earn the nod more than once -- after allowing only 4 earned runs on 18 hits.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Johnson's 18 hits were the fewest allowed by a pitcher before May 1 since 1900 (minimum 40 innings pitched).

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