Red Sox's Brian Johnson: At ease as offseason training begins

Johnson said he no longer feels anxiety and his elbow feels fine as he starts his offseason preparation for the 2017 season, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports.

Analysis:

Johnson had a challenging season in 2016. A spring toe injury put a crimp in his schedule followed by an uncharacteristic bout of wildness, leading to him walking away from the game to treat an anxiety disorder. He pitched well upon return, posting a 3.07 ERA over his final seven starts at Triple-A Pawtucket, putting himself back on the radar for 2017. While Boston's rotation is well-stocked with pitchers who won't begin the season at Triple-A, Johnson has moved ahead of Henry Owens and Roenis Elias at Pawtucket. If the Red Sox deal one of their surplus starters, as expected, Johnson's chances of pitching in Boston become more realistic.