Daniel Bard is dropping the complete 2024 season to harm. The Rockies reliever underwent arthroscopic surgical procedure to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee in February. Whereas rehabbing, he went down with a forearm harm and underwent a season-ending flexor tendon restore.
On the time of the arm surgical procedure, the 38-year-old righty was noncommittal about whether or not he’d proceed his profession. Now that he’s six weeks faraway from the process, Bard tells Patrick Saunders of the Denver Put up that he plans to offer it one other go.
“Going into the surgical procedure, I used to be in all probability 50-50,” Bard advised Saunders over the weekend. “If you first discover out you want surgical procedure and you’re going to miss 12 months, there may be that second of disappointment. You form of get the wind knocked out of you. However having a couple of weeks to consider it and watch baseball, it actually makes me wish to see if I’ve received it subsequent spring.”
Bard, who turns 39 in June, is within the second season of an extension he signed with the Rox. He was amidst a stellar 2022 season as Colorado’s nearer when he and the workforce agreed on a two-year, $19MM deal protecting the 2023-24 campaigns. The extension got here collectively days earlier than the ’22 commerce deadline. Bard would have been one of many high rental relievers on the summer season market, however a noncompetitive Colorado workforce elected to maintain him round.
That call didn’t work out in any respect because the Rox hoped. Bard started the 2023 season on the injured checklist after battling nervousness points that had sidetracked his profession within the mid-2010s. Whereas he made it again to the mound, he had hassle discovering the strike zone. Bard walked greater than 21% of opposing hitters and spent the season working within the center innings. He in all probability would have gotten one other probability to compete for the nearer function this spring, however the accidents wrecked that plan.
Saunders writes that Bard will spend his time on the injured checklist in Denver to function a mentor to Colorado’s youthful bullpen mates. The Rox have had a really powerful go within the late innings. Rockies relievers have allowed a league-worst 5.10 earned runs per 9. Jalen Beeks and Victor Vodnik have managed first rate run prevention marks regardless of middling strikeout charges. The remainder of Colorado’s bullpen has struggled, with notably disappointing numbers from late-inning arms Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley.
Given the seemingly robust relationship between Bard and the Rockies, it wouldn’t be a shock if Colorado retains him round for his 2025 comeback try. He’ll be a free agent subsequent offseason and can virtually actually have to take a minor league contract, however the Rox may have curiosity in such an association.
