Johnson goes into offseason with ‘a little fire’ after taking loss in final start

Angels rookie pitcher Ryan Johnson allowed four runs over five innings in an 8-4 defeat against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday at T-Mobile Park. The loss leaves the Angels needing a victory in Sunday's season finale to avoid the first 100-loss season in franchise history. Despite the difficult outing, Johnson finished the season with a 5.04 ERA and 79 strikeouts across 100 innings.

Johnson closed the campaign with a 2.83 ERA over his final 10 starts after adjusting his pitch mix and throwing routine alongside interim pitching coach Tim Levaque and bullpen coach Michael Wuertz. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki noted the rookie's development, highlighting Johnson's improved sweeper as a key factor in his late-season progression.