Johnson agreed Monday with the Padres on a two-year, $5 million contract that includes a club option for 2022, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The 28-year-old was once a prized pitching prospect in the Cubs organization, but he moved overseas last winter after struggling across his 38 relief appearances in the big leagues between 2017 and 208. While pitching for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball in 2019, Johnson generated renewed interest from MLB teams after turning in a dominant season out of the bullpen, compiling a 1.38 ERA and 91:13 K:BB in 58.2 innings. The Padres will add him to an already strong relief corps headlined by closer Kirby Yates, with Johnson likely to fill a middle-innings role initially.