Blue Jays place Josh Johnson on disabled list, recall Brad Lincoln

The Toronto Blue Jays placed starting pitcher Josh Johnson on the disabled list Thursday due to triceps inflammation. Brad Lincoln has been recalled from Triple-A to take his roster spot while Ricky Romero will join the rotation and start on Friday.

The Blue Jays originally expected to have Johnson, 29, make his scheduled start, but they have apparently decided to play it safe, according to CBSSports.com. Johnson has had injury woes in the past, but never with his triceps. His past ailments have been centered around his elbow and shoulder.

Losing Johnson may not hurt Toronto much in the short run. He had been pitching very poorly since he was brought over from the Miami Marlins in a mega-trade last offseason. Two of his four outings have been quality starts, though he allowed nine hits, two walks, and four total runs (one was unearned) during one of those. He currently holds a 6.86 ERA on the year.

Brad Lincoln will likely be a very temporary replacement on the roster. He pitched two games for the Blue Jays earlier in the year, but otherwise has spent the season in Triple-A, where he has a 3.72 ERA.

The team has already said that Ricky Romero will start in Johnson's place on Friday. However, Romero is currently in the minors, meaning someone will need to be sent down to open up a roster spot. That player will probably be Lincoln, who will be insurance in case something happens during the Blue Jays game Thursday that requires them to use up their pitching.

Romero has been a starting pitcher full time with the Blue Jays for the past four years, and was an All-Star in 2011 when he had a sub-3.00 ERA in 32 starts. However, his control fell apart in 2012 as he ended the season with a 5.2 BB/9 and a 5.77 ERA. Things were so bad for Romero that Toronto sent him to High-A Dunedin to begin the 2013 season following Spring Training.

Romero made one start for Dunedin, pitching seven one-run innings with no walks.