Johnson (elbow) struck out one over a perfect inning in his first rehab appearance Tuesday for the Padres' rookie-level Arizona Complex League affiliate.
The appearance was Johnson's first at any level in more than four months after the Padres placed him on the injured list April 22 with right elbow tendonitis. The right-hander could make a few more appearances in Arizona before eventually transferring his rehab assignment to Triple-A El Paso or Double-A San Antonio prior to being reinstated from the 60-day IL as soon as next week. Johnson will likely be ticketed for a middle-relief or setup role for San Diego once he's activated.