Philadelphia fans didn’t need a crystal ball to know what might happen when Seth Johnson took the mound for the Athletics on Aug. 6 in Cincinnati. After all, the right-hander had already been optioned four times by the Phillies, and his first outing in his new uniform played out in a way that probably felt familiar to anyone who had been watching.
Johnson, dealt from Philadelphia just ahead of the 2026 deadline buzzer, made his A’s debut in a 6-5 loss. The Phillies got Colby Thomas back in the trade to address a growing need for another outfielder, though he’ll stay with Triple-A Lehigh Valley for now.
The moment that stood out came in the seventh inning, when JJ Bleday turned around a first-pitch four-seam fastball and sent it 406 feet to right-center field for a home run. That swing gave the game its key jolt, and it fit the book on Johnson: he leans on the fastball nearly half the time, and opponents were already hitting .273 against that pitch entering the debut. A couple batters later, Eugenio Suárez followed with a double off another fastball, on the second pitch of his at-bat.
Johnson finished with two innings of work, giving up one run on three hits. He did at least miss bats, striking out four without issuing a walk. He came into Thursday with an 11.0 K/9 this season, but also a 7.7 BB/9.
There’s still a path for Johnson to win over A’s fans if the strikeouts keep coming and the walks stay down. But a late homer in a one-run game is not the kind of first impression that buys much goodwill.
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