Red Sox's Brian Johnson: Healthy offseason builds confidence

Johnson threw his sixth bullpen session of the spring Wednesday and said his "arm feels great," a marked difference from last spring, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports,

Analysis:

Johnson's healthy offseason is a pleasant change relative to last offseason when elbow discomfort and nerve irritation that sabotaged a promising 2015 season compromised his ability to build arm strength. The diminished stuff, coupled with a toe injury, had shaken the left-hander's confidence, which led to personal issues that required Johnson to leave the organization for two months last summer. While he was able to return and pitched effectively, the stop-and-start nature of his season impacted his fastball velocity and the bite of his curve. He's now back on a normal schedule and will be on the short list of names if the Red Sox need to reach down to Triple-A for an emergency or fill-in starter.