A pitcher with the Colorado Rockies is taking some time out from the sport to care for his young son, who was bitten by a rattlesnake last month in Arizona. Right-handed reliever John Axford was placed on the family medical emergency list before the Rockies game on Sunday. His son had surgery last Monday - opening day for the Rockies - on his right foot to remove necrotic tissue. John Axford, right, has been placed on the family medical emergency list by the Colorado Rockies. His son Jameson, left, was bitten twice by a rattlesnake last month and requires more treatment. Axford celebrated h is birthday on April 1 by enjoying cake with his sons, JB, left, and Jameson, right . Axford said the toes of 2-year-old Jameson 'look fine,' but doctors are trying to improve mobility as they combat infection. Jameson will board an emergency medical flight on Monday to Denver for more treatment. 'We still have a long road, a long process to go,' Axford said. 'But at least I'll be able to be closer to him.' His son was bitten twice in the yard of the house his family rented in Scottsdale for spring training. The family was hoping for 'better things' after the surgery. 'The necrotic tissue on his foot ended up being worse than we thought,' explained Axford, who also has a 3-year-old son, JB. 'There was a lot of infection in there and it was a staph infection. The tissue they thought was going to be good turned out to not be great. … His foot is in pretty rough shape in spots.' More surgery will be necessary, and Axford said one of the top surgeons is in Denver. The Axford family will board an emergency medical flight on Monday to Denver so that Jameson, center, can have more treatment . 'The doctors in Arizona have been amazing. They've texted me, called me, keeping me updated with everything,' Axford said. 'They told me they all agreed that this was the worst rattlesnake bite they'd seen in the area. It's pretty unfortunate that it went that way for him, but it was fortunate that it was in the area that it was, on his foot, not somewhere else on his body, especially with the damage that was done.' Axford will be out for at least three days and a maximum of a week. Axford has made one appearance for the Rockies this season, getting a save with a scoreless 10th inning on Wednesday at Milwaukee. But really his mind has been anywhere but the ballpark. His wife, Nicole, has been constantly by his son's side at the hospital. Given Jameson's age, Axford is hoping his son won't remember too much about this incident. 'Hopefully because he is 2 he'll be able to erase it from his memory. But he'll have an incredible scar on his foot to show people and he'll have the story from us,' Axford said. Axford, who has been given sick leave for at least three days and a maximum of a week, tweeted his thanks last month for the support his family had received after Jameson, 2, was bitten twice by a rattlesnake . Rockies manager Walt Weiss went through a health scare with his son more than a decade ago and shared his story with Axford. When Weiss was playing for Atlanta in 1998, his son, Brody, got E. coli and developed a blood disease. Brody Weiss was in critical condition for a few weeks. Now Brody is playing baseball at a community college. 'Dealt with a life-and-death situation with my son and was away from the team for a while, and so I was certainly able to empathize with him, in sharing that story,' Walt Weiss said. 'That doesn't make it any easier for John, but I think it helps when someone can share a similar experience with you.' To take Axford's spot, the Rockies selected the contract of righty Scott Oberg from Triple-A Albuquerque. They also transferred infielder Charlie Culberson (back) to the 60-day disabled list.
John Axford has been placed on the family medical emergency list by the Colorado Rockies.
His son Jameson, 2, was bitten twice by a rattlesnake last month in the yard of the house his family had rented in Scottsdale for spring training.
Jameson will board an emergency medical flight on Monday to Denver for more treatment.
Axford will be out for at least three days and a maximum of a week.