The Oakland A’s placed relief pitcher John Axford on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday, the team announced. The right-hander has a strained shoulder and his DL stint is retroactive to April 2. To replace him on the active roster, fellow right-hander Jesse Hahn was recalled from Triple-A Nashville.
Axford, 34, hasn’t yet pitched this season, though he was active during spring training and appeared in eight Cactus League games. He’s probably not part of the late-inning closing committee (Madson, Casilla, Dull, Doo?), but he still represents a solid veteran arm for the middle innings.
Fortunately, the A’s bullpen might be both the strongest and deepest area of the roster, so if they could afford an injury anywhere it was there.