John Axford was finally designated for assignment by the A’s on Thursday. Axford, 34, has struggled this season and has been a major disappointment for the A’s.
He went 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in 21 innings of work this year. Axford has struggled with command this year and has seen his walk rate (15.6%) increase compared to last year (10.4%). Poor command coupled with the fact that Axford got hit hard this year made the decision to part ways with him easier for the A’s.
Last year, Axford performed much better for the A’s. In 68 games last season, Axford went 6-4 with a 3.