Daniel Johnson is back in the majors. The veteran outfielder, who had a brief stint with the SF Giants last year, has resurfaced with the Houston Astros.
Vallejo native who had brief impact on 2025 SF Giants resurfaces with Astros
Johnson joined the Miami Marlins on a minor league deal in the winter, but did not make the team out of spring training. He was reassigned to Triple-A, but he was released after just five games. Presumably, that was to pursue other opportunities.
The left-handed bat did not remain a free agent for long. He joined the Astros on a minor league contract last week and appeared in only one Triple-A game before his contract was selected. Johnson took Taylor Trammell's spot on the active roster. Trammel landed on the injured list with a groin strain.
Johnson appeared in a handful of games with San Francisco last year. He began last season with Caliente de Durango of the Mexican League, but requested his release to pursue an opportunity with the Giants
With San Francisco, Johnson had a .571 OPS with one home run and one RBI in 31 plate appearances. This included a two-hit night in his first game with the Giants to lead them to a 6-5 win over the San Diego Padres.
There were not many memorable games for the Giants last year. However, that game was notable for another reason. It was Dominic Smith's first game with San Francisco. He tallied four hitless at-bats. Smith recorded a .750 OPS with five home runs and 33 RBI in 225 plate appearances while playing some good defense at first base. Smith's tenure with the Giants was brief, but it feels like he will be remembered fondly.
On the other hand, Johnson had one more highlight. He hit a solo shot against the Los Angeles Dodgers to bring the Giants to within one run, but they were unable to complete the comeback.
The veteran outfielder was designated for assignment in August, but was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. Johnson finished out the year with Baltimore before becoming a free agent in the offseason. He now joins an Astros club that is surprisingly in last place in the AL West with a 10-16 record.