Pierce Johnson Landing Spots: 3 best fits for NPB All-Star after Braves decline $7M club option

Pierce Johnson has made a career out of adapting first in Japan, where he became an NPB All-Star, and then in MLB bullpens, where he’s bounced from middle relief to high-leverage without missing a beat. His 2025 season in Atlanta continued that pattern.

For most of the year, he gave the Braves what they wanted: a dependable late-inning arm who could lean on his curveball, miss bats and clean up the pockets of a game that usually decide the night.

But a shaky September, paired with rising payroll commitments elsewhere, pushed Atlanta to decline his $7 million option.

His market won’t be loud, but it will be steady. Three teams in particular match his skill set and usage perfectly.

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#1. Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona’s bullpen issues in 2025 weren’t subtle; they lost too many close games because the bridge innings kept collapsing. That alone makes Johnson a natural target.

The Diamondbacks don’t need him to close; they need someone who can take over the seventh or eighth and bring order to games that often spun out of control. Johnson’s durability and experience in high-leverage spots fit perfectly here.

Arizona also tends to shop in the short-term relief market rather than chase big-ticket arms, and Johnson fits that financial lane.

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#2. New York Yankees

The Yankees finish almost every season with the same question: Who can they trust outside of the closer? Johnson gives them an experience in the room, someone who doesn’t get rattled and can pitch multiple leverage slots.

His fastball-breaking ball pairing plays in Yankee Stadium when he keeps it down and his track record suggests he won’t shrink from the environment.

New York loves one-year deals for veteran relievers with something to prove and Johnson fits that blueprint.

He wouldn’t be a Yankees headline signing, but he’d be the kind of stabilizer that quietly wins them tight games in June and September.

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#3. Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland doesn’t usually go after big-name relievers. They look for pitchers who fit their style; someone who throw strikes, trust the defense, and don’t give away innings with walks. Johnson fits that type well.

He’s not the strikeout pitcher he used to be, but he still avoids hard contact and throws strikes and that’s what the Guardians care about.

Cleveland can offer him a steady role, a good environment for pitchers and a coaching staff that knows how to help veteran relievers stay effective.

Edited by Shubham Soni