Giants take chance on righty Johnson

The San Francisco Giants signed right-hander Josh Johnson to a minor league contract with the hopes he can perform after three Tommy John elbow surgeries.

General manager Bobby Evans said yestserday it’s still undetermined whether Johnson will be invited to big league camp at spring training, and Johnson must show he’s healthy and can be effective again. The 6-foot-7 pitcher was last in the majors with Toronto in 2013, having undergone a trio of reconstructive elbow surgeries. He had tried to come back with the Padres in 2015 before having a setback in the minors and needing the third procedure.

The 32-year-old Johnson has a 58-45 career record and 3.40 ERA over parts of nine big league seasons, all but one of those years with the Marlins. . . .

The Texas Rangers received right-hander Adrian Sampson on a waiver claim from the Seattle Mariners. Sampson made his major league debut last season before surgery to repair of flexor tendon in his right elbow. He is expected to be in an injury rehabilitation program for the start of the 2017 season. . . .

The Philadelphia Phillies hired Matt Stairs to be their new hitting coach. The 48-year-old played parts of 19 seasons in the major leagues with 12 different franchises, including the 2008 World Series champion Phillies. He spent the past three seasons as an analyst on the team’s television broadcasts.