Yankees Interested in Axford? Why Not?

Back in 2011, the Milwaukee Brewers had an elite closer in the form of an unlikely hero. John Axford collected 46 saves that season while posting a 1.95 ERA and striking out 86 batters in 73.2 innings. The year before Axford saved 24 games and a season later he notched 35. But in 2013 he was abysmal and the Brewers traded him to the Cardinals. He became a free agent soon after and signed with the Cleveland Indians, saved just 10 games and was shipped off to the Pittsburgh Pirates to assist in the late season playoff race. The Pirates have recently designated him for assignment and are expected to release him. The 31-year-old Axford has fallen on hard times but he’s not beyond saving and the Yankees may be the one to pick him back up.

Axford spent time in the Yankees minor league system back in 2007 but was released by the team that December. Obviously it wasn’t a happy marriage. But Axford is a better pitcher than he was then and while he’ll probably never be that 2011 model of himself he can still be worth something… in the right situation. The Yankees have made healthy habit of finding broken down relievers, signing them to low risk, team friendly contracts and reaping the benefits. Don’t believe me? Think of Esmil Rogers who wasn’t exactly Mariano Rivera after joining the Yankees (2-0 with a 4.68 ERA) but was certainly better than when he was with the Blue Jays (0-0 with a 6.97 ERA).  The Yankees also signed Andrew Bailey to a contract but they won’t get to see him until 2015. 

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So, the Yankees are historically open to taking the risk and Axford would be a worth while risk. If he’s on his game he’s a huge plus for a team but he won’t cost much at all. Which means that if he’s as bad as he’s been the Yankees can just cut him and send him on his merry way. The Yankees aren’t certain if they’ll have free agent closer David Robertson next season but that’s okay because superstar Dellin Betances is ready to fill in for him. Shawn Kelley, Esmil Rogers, David Phelps, Adam Warren and prospects Jacob Lindgren, Tyler Webb and Manny Banuelos will all be options for the 2015 club but it doesn’t hurt to have another arm ready and waiting. After all the old saying “you can never have too much pitching” has never been proven wrong.

Maybe the problem is that Axford just isn’t a closer anymore. He could probably excel as a middle reliever and if Joe Girardi could find the best possible ways to use him effectively he’d be a  very solid option for the Yankees bullpen. Maybe a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training would be a smart idea. Giving him a real chance to prove his worth before it counts. Either way this is another low cost/high reward option that the Yankees (And every team really) loves to make. John Axford will likely become a free agent and if that is the case there’s no reason for the Yankees to not give him a shot. Hey, at least he’d get to keep the top half of his mustache.