January 28, 2025
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Canadian John Axford will be inducted on to the Milwaukee Brewers’ Wall of Honor this summer.
The Brewers made the announcement on Monday.
Details on the induction ceremony will be announced shortly.
Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) spent six major league seasons with the Brewers (2009 to 2013, 2021). In 2011, he set a franchise record with 46 saves and his 106 total saves with the Brewers are the third-most in club history.
The 6-foot-5 right-hander’s pro career began when he signed with the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 2006. He’d spend one campaign in the Bombers’ organization before inking a minor league deal with the Brewers.
Axford pitched in parts of two seasons in the Brewers’ organization before being called up in September 2009. The Canuck righty enjoyed a breakout season with the Brew Crew in 2010 when he went 8-2 with a 2.48 ERA with 24 saves. He struck out 76 batters in 58 innings in 50 appearances.
He followed that up with his most dominant campaign in 2011 when he not only established a franchise record in saves, but he also led the National League in that category. In that season, Axford registered a 1.95 ERA and fanned 86 batters in 73 2/3 innings in 74 appearances. For his efforts, he was named co-winner (along with Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.)) of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award, as top Canadian player.
He added 35 more saves in 2012 and made 62 relief appearances for the Brewers in 2013 prior to being dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Axford concluded his big league career with stints with the Cleveland Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A’s, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.
In all, in parts of 11 major league seasons, Axford posted a 3.90 ERA and amassed 144 saves in 544 appearances. He finished his career among the all-time Canadian major league pitching leaders in several categories, including second in saves and games finished (286) and sixth in appearances.
He officially retired after throwing a scoreless inning for Canada in their 18-8 win over Great Britain in the first game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Toro signs minor league deal with Red Sox
Canadian infielder Abraham Toro has signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to Daniel Álvarez-Montes, of El Extra Base.
The deal includes an invite to big league spring training.
In 2024, Toro (Longueuil, Que.) was designated for assignment by the Oakland A’s on August 27 after batting .240 with six home runs and 26 RBIs in 94 big league games with them. The 27-year-old Quebec native completed the season with the triple-A Las Vegas Aviators.
It was a disappointing finish to a season that began with so much promise for Toro. The switch-hitting infielder had 39 hits for the A’s in the month of May, which was the most in the major leagues. But Toro suffered a hamstring injury on June 21 that sidelined him for a month and he went just 9-for-60 in 21 games after his return.
In total, Toro has played in parts of six major league seasons with the Houston Astros, Brewers, Seattle Mariners and A’s. In 365 big league games, he owns a .220 batting average with 34 home runs and has 134 RBIs.
In 2023, he suited up for Canada at the World Baseball Classic and went 5-for-15 (.333 batting average) in four games.
Originally selected in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB draft by the Astros, the ABC Academy alum made his big-league debut on August 22, 2019.
Thanks for the updates.
Thanks for your support.
Great news for Ax and Toro. So happy for them both.
Abraham will hopefully get a good shot with the Red Sox.
Now Pivetta and Quantrill!
Thanks for reading this, Scott.