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Josh Johnson injury: Blue Jays RHP scratched with triceps tightness

New waiver claim Aaron Laffey will start in Johnson's place Friday night against the Yankees.

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays have scratched right-hander John Johnson from his Friday night start because of tightness in his triceps, the team has announced. Recent waiver acquisition Aaron Laffey will start in Johnson's stead.

The club said that the move is strictly a precautionary measure, but any sort of throwing arm issue is certainly worth worrying about, and probably more so when someone like Johnson is involved. The right-hander missed most of 2011 with shoulder issues -- but never went under the knife -- and was not the same pitcher when he returned to the mound last year.

Like Toronto's other two rotation additions, R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle, Johnson has gotten off to a pretty miserable start in 2013. The 29-year-old right-hander owns 6.86 ERA and a very uncharacteristic 1.4 HR/9 through his first four starts, making it to the seventh inning in just one of his outings thus far.

Laffey, 28, was picked up on waivers from the Mets earlier in the week. The southpaw made two spot starts for New York in the first two weeks of the seasons, but failed to go five frames in either outing.

Laffey has bounced around quite a bit in his seven big-league seasons, and owns a 4.48 ERA in 67 games as a starter. He will be pitching opposite Ivan Nova on Friday.

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