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Retired Canadian reliever John Axford set to be added to Brewers Wall of Fame in 2025

Originally posted on Bluejaysnation | By Chris Georges | Last updated Jan 27, 2025 7:00 PM ET

Former major league reliever and Simcoe, Ontario native John Axford is set to be added to the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor this season. The now 41-year-old joins 71 other players and front office members, including Brewers greats like Robin Yount and Paul Molitor.

After the Reds drafted him in 2005 but decided not to offer him a contract, Axford signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal. He was ultimately released in 2007 after making it up to triple-A. He found a home with the Brewers after signing with the club in 2008, ultimately making his major league debut in 2009. Throughout his 11-year big league career, he spent parts of six seasons in Milwaukee.

Nicknamed the ‘Ax Man’, Axford became a fan favourite in Milwaukee, thanks in part to his signature beard and elite numbers that he produced at the beginning of his career. After earning the closer’s gig in 2010, he saved 25 games and earned eight wins in relief, maintaining a 2.48 ERA through 50 appearances.

John Axford will join the Brewers Wall of Honor in 2025, per the club.

Axford holds the record for most saves in a season in franchise history with 46 in 2011.

He ranks third in Brewers history in saves with 106. pic.twitter.com/6NitVMaBTW

— Hunter Baumgardt (@hunterbonair) January 27, 2025

The 2011 season would go down as the six-foot-five Ontario product’s best, leading the league in saves (46) while owning a sparkling 1.95 ERA. The dominant season continued into the playoffs, where he gave up just one run across seven appearances. His fantastic season led to him winning the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year, an award that was given to the league’s best relief pitcher from 1976-2012. He was also named co-winner (along with Joey Votto) of the Tip O’Neill Award, given annually to the best Canadian baseball player. As a testament to how dominant Axford was in 2011, he also received Cy Young votes, finishing ninth in the NL.

Axford was traded to the Cardinals in 2013, the second of his eventual eight teams he would end up playing for. One of those teams was his hometown Toronto Blue Jays in 2018. Across 45 games, he maintained a respectable 4.41 ERA and 1.26 WHIP on the season. All told, Axford finished his career with a 3.90 ERA and 144 saves.

Appearing in each of the last three World Baseball Classic’s for Canada, Axford has a good chance to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in the upcoming years.

This article first appeared on Bluejaysnation and was syndicated with permission.

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