Daniel Bard's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Free-agent right-handed reliever Daniel Bard (elbow) plans to start throwing off a mound in early February and signing with a team in April, with the goal of pitching not long after that. Bard did not make a single appearance in the big leagues in 2024 after having flexor-tendon surgery on his right elbow back in April. Despite the injury, the 39-year-old veteran plans on signing with a team for the 2025 campaign, although it remains to be seen where he'll land or how effective he'll be. In his last season in 2023 with the Colorado Rockies, Bard struggled with efficiency and finished with a 4.56 ERA (6.13 FIP), a 1.70 WHIP, one save, 47 strikeouts and 49 walks in 49 1/3 relief innings. Given the fact he didn't pitch at all last year, Bard will most likely have to settle for a minor-league contract. He'll be a long shot to have much fantasy value in 2025 if he makes it back.

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard (knee, elbow) had a setback rehabbing and will undergo season-ending right flexor tendon surgery. After recently throwing off a mound, the banged-up Bard's season suddenly ends before it even begins while also recovering from a cleanup procedure on his left knee. The 38-year-old veteran right-hander is a free agent following the 2024 campaign, and it's unlikely that he'll draw very much interest after walking more batters (49) than he struck out (47) a season ago. Bard spent seven years away from the major leagues before latching on with Colorado in 2020. Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley are the names to watch for fantasy purposes for saves-needy managers, but Lawrence has yielded seven runs across five appearances, and Kinley has given up eight runs over six innings thus far.

Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Daniel Bard (knee) was expected to throw off a mound on Tuesday. The Rockies have been careful with Bard, whose platelet-rich plasma shots in his right forearm are a bigger concern than the cleanup operation on his left knee in February. Bard didn't participate in spring training, so he won't be available for the Rocks until May at the earliest. Even though the 38-year-old right-hander struggled to a 4.56 ERA (6.13 FIP), 1.70 WHIP, and an unfathomable 47:49 K:BB through 49 1/3 innings last season, he still might end up receiving the bulk of the save chances when he returns to the mound later this year. Justin Lawrence (9.82 ERA) and Tyler Kinley (13.50 ERA) remain the nominal favorites for saves out of Colorado's bullpen right now, but neither of the two right-handers have separated much in terms of seizing the closing gig to this point.

The Colorado Rockies placed right-hander Daniel Bard (knee) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday after he missed all of spring training following a cleanup procedure on his left knee in the middle of February. In addition to his knee ailment, the 38-year-old veteran has received platelet-rich plasma injections in his right forearm in the offseason. Bard is improving and could be ready to face live hitters in the second week of April. There's a chance that he could make his 2024 season debut before the end of April if he doesn't suffer any setbacks while on a minor-league rehab assignment. Bard again struggled with anxiety last year after recording 54 saves in 2021-22, and Justin Lawrence and Tyler Kinley are now Colorado's primary options for saves, so fantasy managers can ignore Bard.

Doctors performed an arthroscopy/cleanup on Colorado Rockies right-hander Daniel Bard's left knee on Wednesday and did not need to do a meniscus repair as originally believed. The general recovery time frame is one month, which is a little less than the five to seven weeks the team originally believed he'd have to miss. It's good news for the 38-year-old reliever, but he still seems likely to open the 2024 season on the injured list. Bard could be in the mix for saves in Colorado when he's healthy, and at the very least he'll be a candidate for consideration in deep holds leagues, but the Rockies probably won't give their relievers many save chances. He had 54 saves in 2021 and 2022 but is an extremely risky reliever because of his past history with anxiety and the yips.