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Brewers Acquire John Axford & Yes, You Read that Right

By Paul Bretl

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 1: John Axford #59 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the San Diego Padres during the game at Miller Park on October 1, 2012 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 1: John Axford #59 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the San Diego Padres during the game at Miller Park on October 1, 2012 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images) /
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I can’t imagine that there is anyone out there who saw this once coming, but the Milwaukee Brewers have acquired John Axford from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations—and yes, that John Axford.

If you recall, and I’m sure you do, Axford was with the Brewers from 2009 through part of the 2013 season before being traded away to St. Louis.

During that span, Axford was the team’s closer, posting a 3.29 ERA, a FIP of 3.25, a WHIP of 1.326, and striking out 10.8 batters per nine. In 2011, he led the NL in saves with a 46, a mark that still stands to this day as a single-season franchise record.

After leaving Milwaukee, Axford bounded around, playing for seven different ball clubs, the most recent of which came in 2018, where he allowed eight hits and eight runs in only 3.2 innings of work with the Los Angeles Dodgers after being traded there from Toronto, where he spent the bulk of that season and posted a 4.41 ERA out of the bullpen.

That was the last season that the now 38-year-old Axford pitched in the big leagues and he was actually a studio analyst for the Blue Jays this season. However, upon trying out for the Canadian baseball team, Axford hit 98 mph on the radar gun, and Toronto signed him to a minor league deal.

According to Will Sammon of The Atheltic, Axford dominated in his 10.2 innings of minor league ball, recording a 0.84 ERA with one earned run, two hits, three walks, and 14 strikeouts.

As Sammon also points out, although the trade deadline has passed, because Axford was a minor league player, and never on a 40-man roster this season, a trade could still be made.

With the Milwaukee Brewers in need of some bullpen depth with several players on the COVID IL currently, Axford will join the big league team in Milwaukee and will be available for Monday night’s game if needed.

We’ve seen David Stearns take an unconventional approach in the past, but this trade makes those past moves look quite tame. I’m not sure that anyone knows what to expect from Axford, but the Brewers are taking a swing and hoping that they find lightning in a bottle.

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