Dan Johnson has elected free agency.

He had been outrighted off the Orioles' 40-man roster. Johnson got just five plate appearances this year at the major league level and didn't manage a hit.

Orioles sent 1B/DH Dan Johnson outright to Triple-A Norfolk.

Johnson got just five plate appearances this year at the major league level and did manage a hit. The 34-year-old is now officially off the Orioles' 40-man roster.

Orioles purchased the contract of 1B/DH Dan Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk.

Johnson was inked to a minor league deal late last month and will now provide a bench bat down the stretch. He's spent all season at Triple-A, hitting .250/.378/.439 with 21 homers.

Orioles signed 1B/DH Dan Johnson to a minor league contract.

It comes after Johnson opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees on Thursday. The owner of a .253/.379/.447 batting line with 21 homers and 69 RBI at Triple-A this season, he'll likely be up as a bench bat next month.

Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com reports that the Orioles are the "possible favorite" to sign Dan Johnson.

Johnson opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees on Thursday and could be on the verge of a major league deal with Baltimore. The O's are trying to land Michael Morse to fill their need for a right-handed hitter, but apparently they'd like to add some pop from the left side, as well.

Yankees released 1B/DH Dan Johnson.

It's not clear if Johnson is poised to sign elsewhere or if he just asked for his release because he was told he wasn't coming up in September. He's spent all of this season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, batting .253/.379/.447 with 21 homers and 69 RBI.

Yankees signed 1B Dan Johnson to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Johnson batted .267/.388/.492 with 28 home runs and 85 RBI in 137 games last season at Triple-A Charlotte -- an affiliate of the White Sox. The 33-year-old will probably open 2013 at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times hears that Dan Johnson has interest in returning to the Rays, but may end up signing with a Japanese team.

Johnson was recently non-tendered by the White Sox after appearing in 14 games as a September call-up. He would likely have to accept a minor league deal with the Rays, so guaranteed money in Japan could be a better bet.

White Sox non-tendered 1B/DH Dan Johnson.

Johnson appeared in 14 games with the White Sox down the stretch as a September call-up and was unlikely to have a major role with the club in 2013. The 33-year-old figures to land a spring training invite somewhere.

Dan Johnson had an out-of-nowhere career night in Chicago's 9-0, season-ending win over the Indians, ripping three home runs and tallying five RBI.

Paul Konerko and Dayan Viciedo also went deep for the White Sox. Johnson was making just his sixth start since being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on September 1. The home runs were his first of the season. It's a nice last impression as Johnson heads back to free agency, but he's unlikely to break spring training as part of someone's 25-man roster.

White Sox purchased the contract of 1B Dan Johnson from Triple-A Charlotte.

Johnson is a "Quad-A" type that will be used exclusively as a pinch-hitter during his callup. The 33-year-old posted 28 home runs, 94 RBI and an .879 OPS in 136 games at the Triple-A level this year.

White Sox reassigned INFs Dan Johnson, Jim Gallagher, Dallas McPherson, Tyler Saladino, OF Jordan Danks and C Josh Phegley to minor league camp.

No surprises here. Johnson posted a cool .333/.500/.625 batting line in the Cactus League this spring, but he never really had much of a shot at a backup job.

White Sox signed 1B/DH Dan Johnson to a minor league contract.

The deal presumably includes a spring training invite. Johnson, 32, batted just .118 (10-for-84) at the major-league level last year, but his game-tying home run in the final game of the regular season kept the Rays' season alive. He'll try to win a bench spot on Chicago's Opening Day roster.

Dan Johnson has elected free agency.

Johnson was outrighted off the Rays' 40-man roster on Thursday despite playing the hero in Game 162 against the Yankees. The 32-year-old should find another gig.

Rays sent 1B/DH Dan Johnson outright to Triple-A Durham.

Johnson batted just .118 (10-for-84) at the major league level this season, but his dramatic game-tying home run in the final game of the regular season helped keep the Rays' season alive. The 32-year-old can become a free agent.

Dan Johnson hit the biggest home run of his journeyman career Wednesday, taking Cory Wade deep for a game-tying, solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning in Tampa Bay's eventual Wild Card clinching win.

Johnson's only other home run of the season came all the way back on April 8. Set to hit the open market this winter, he's unlikely to be retained.

Rays purchased the contract of 1B/DH Dan Johnson from Triple-A Durham.

And right in time for a series against the Red Sox, too. Johnson, who was the Opening Day first baseman, batted just .115 with one home run and a 17/5 K/BB ratio over 78 at-bats before being designated for assignment by the Rays in May. He'll function as a lefty bat off the bench.

Rays designated first baseman Dan Johnson for assignment.

Hardly a surprise, as Tampa Bay's Opening Day first baseman was hitting .115 with one home run through his first 78 at-bats. Now 31 years old and the owner of just 215 major-league at-bats since the end of the 2007 season, Johnson could be at the end of the line.

Dan Johnson belted a three-run homer in the ninth inning off White Sox closer Matt Thornton to propel the Rays to their first win of the season Friday.

Johnson also singled on the night in a much-needed performance after his 1-for-23 start to the season. He figures to get plenty of time in the DH slot moving forward after Manny Ramirez's surprise retirement.

Dan Johnson is just 1-for-19 this season after going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Wednesday's loss to the Angels.

No one was expecting Johnson to hit for average, but he also doesn't have a walk or an RBI yet. Casey Kotchman outplayed Johnson this spring, so maybe the Rays will consider a switch if their offense slumbers for much longer. B.J. Upton, who homered for the team's lone run today, is the only player in the lineup doing much of anything right now.