What can a buck get someone these days? For the Milwaukee Brewers, it led to the return of John Axford, which was important given that closer Josh Hader was placed on the COVID list on Monday. As Axford was not on the Blue Jays 40 man roster, he was eligible to be traded, leading to his homecoming.
That return lasted for exactly one out. Axford struggled in his return to Milwaukee, and then complained of pain in his elbow. He will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the damage.
John Axford felt pain in the back of his elbow and will undergo an MRI, per Craig Counsell.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) August 3, 2021
John Axford shows why you can never go home again
Those elbow issues may explain his rough outing. He had allowed two runs on two hits and a walk, hitting another batter while recording just that one out. It certainly was not the way that Axford had hoped that his return to the Brewers would end up.
There was a time when Axford was one of the better closers in the league. He was a force in the ninth inning for the Brewers in 2010 and 2011, posting a 2.19 ERA and a 1.162 WHiP over his 131.2 innings. He notched 70 saves while striking out 162 batters with 52 walks.
However, he was not the same dominant closer after that 2011 season. While he managed two other seasons with at least 25 saves, he was unable to match his previous form. Axford bounced around eight different organizations from 2013 through 2018, the last season he had appeared in the majors before his abbreviated outing on Monday night.
It remains to be seen as to whether or not this will be a significant injury. The Brewers were hoping that Axford could at least serve as a middle reliever, someone that could help bridge the gap to whoever takes over while Hader is sidelined. Instead, they are now wondering if that dollar had been better spent on something off the bargain menu.
John Axford had come back home. Unfortunately, his return to the Milwaukee Brewers was cut short due to pain in his elbow.