The Indians will sign reliever John Axford, ESPN's Buster Olney reports.
Earlier this evening, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Indians were
"focused" on Axford.
Axford, who will be 31 in April, posted a 4.02 ERA with 9.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9
in 65 innings in 2013, although he got better results after the Brewers
traded him to the Cardinals in August for Michael Blazek. Axford's success
extended into the postseason, when he allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings spread
over six outings. Nonetheless, the Cardinals non-tendered him rather than pay
a 2014 salary that would have been inflated by the $5MM Axford made in 2013,
his first year of arbitration eligibility.
Axford served as the Brewers' closer for most of the 2010 through 2012
seasons, although he lost that job after a bout of wildness in 2012. Even in
2012, however, Axford struck out 12.1 batters per nine innings, and he still
has dominant stuff. Axford will likely be entrusted with the closer's job in
Cleveland, where the Indians were looking to replace the departing Chris
Perez.
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