The Brewers activated closer Josh Hader from the Covid-19-related injured list Thursday, clearing roster space by optioning lefty Hoby Milner to Triple-A Nashville and transferring righty John Axford to the 60-day injured list, per a club announcement.
Hader, 27, is in the midst of yet another dominant season on the mound, having pitched to a career-low 1.83 ERA with a 45 percent strikeout rate that leads all qualified relief pitchers and a 9.4 percent walk that’s down more than three percent from his shaky levels in 2020. Devin Williams has been getting save chances in Hader’s absence, but Hader figures to again serve as manager Craig Counsell’s go-to option in such situations now.
The news on Axford was to be expected. The Brewers already announced earlier this month that the 38-year-old right-hander sustained a season-ending elbow injury during his first big league appearance since 2018. Unfortunately, Axford indeed sustained an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported this morning, and he’s weighing what the injury means for his career at this point. President of baseball operations David Stearns indicated that Axford is likely looking at a “reconstruction” surgery (i.e. Tommy John).
“It’s really unfortunate,” said Stearns. “We feel awful for John. I think he was very excited to come to this team. He was excited to pitch in a pennant race, hopefully pitch in the playoffs again. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”
Given the timing of the injury, a Tommy John procedure would very likely wipe out all of Axford’s 2022 season as well. If he did attempt a comeback, he’d be doing so in 2023 for what would be his age-40 season.
Woohoo!
You’re either a lover or a Hader of this guy. I’m a hater when he pitches against the Braves because he’s brutally good.
Bang Bang
Hopefully he got a haircut
I’m 69 yrs old. My hair is longer than Hader’s & I have a beard in the ZZ Top area code. Hair has no reflection on your talent. The only time to get it cut is if it gets in your way as a professional ball player.
Or unless your owner tells you too. Obviously you missed my tongue in my cheek. But thanks Methuselah.
No problem stormtrooper
Curly, you sound like someone I would throw back a beer with.
Right back at you Salary, but to be honest, I won’t stop at 1, Nyuk nyuk nyuk
Could I join y’all?
Wait.
Where are we meeting up for some suds? &…am I invited too?
The John Axford comeback was short lived
Huge overpay. That was $1 American money.
That last quote about Axford makes me so sad. Never been a fan of him or the Brewers but just bums me out.
I followed Axford earlier in his career and was never a fan but it’s still very sad to me nonetheless. Hopefully he can find some sort of comeback but otherwise it was good career
This is sort of a pedestrian question, I guess… If Axford decides to call it quits but still has to have TJ, does the team pay for it since it happened while he was in uniform when it happened?
I would assume so. But if not, why retire? If my employer will only pay for medical costs related to a workplace I injury, I’m not retiring til every cent of every bill is paid.
my understanding is, since it happened on their watch, they do have to pay for the surgery and rehab (but if he waits till after the season, they might not have to, since he would no longer be under contract).
Brewers overpaid to get Axford.