Brewers reliever John Axford will miss the rest of the season after suffering significant structural damage in his throwing elbow, manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). The veteran righty is weighing his options for treatment, Counsell said.
It’s a disappointing blow for a pitcher who just made his return to the big leagues on Monday after a three-year absence. The 38-year-old recorded one out against the Pirates, allowing a pair of runs on two hits and a walk in what’ll be his lone appearance of the year. Before that, he’d pitched very well with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, where he tossed 10 2/3 innings of one-run ball with fourteen strikeouts and three walks.
It remains to be seen whether Axford will make a renewed comeback push. At the very least, he can take pride in the remarkable successful effort he made in recent months to get back to the majors with Milwaukee, even if that stint unfortunately ended far quicker than expected. Presumably, the Brewers will place Axford on the 60-day injured list when the need for a new 40-man roster spot arises.
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