The Indians on Thursday designated infielder Chris Johnson for assignment to make room for recent free agent signee Rajai Davis on the 40-man roster.
The move means the Indians were willing to eat the remaining $17.5 million on Johnson’s contract instead of having him hold up a roster spot on the active 25-man or 40-man rosters. Johnson was owed $7.5 million in 2016, $9 million in 2017 and had a $1 million buyout for 2018 if his option wasn’t picked up by the club, for which the Indians are still responsible.
“It was a tough decision,” said Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti.