Colorado Rockies injury news: Daniel Bard returns to bullpen

Little has gone right for the Colorado Rockies in the early part of the 2023 season. However, how the franchise worked with Daniel Bard and his recent battle with anxiety certainly is one of the high points of the campaign so far in Denver.

Colorado Rockies: Daniel Bard returns to his closer role

Bard, Colorado’s closer who started the season on the injured list with anxiety, was activated off the injured list ahead of Wednesday’s series finale at Coors Field against the Pittsburgh Pirates. After throwing one inning for Triple-A Albuquerque on Sunday in El Paso and striking out the side while allowing one hit, the Rockies and Bard agreed that now was the time to be added back to the active roster.

“It’s been a good few weeks and the support has been overwhelming from the team and everybody around me, family,” Bard said on the field before Wednesday’s game. “Still a work in progress, but I feel good. I feel ready to compete.”

Colorado manager Bud Black said it was “good to have Daniel back” as Bard is expected to settle back into the role where he earned 34 saves last season.

“He feels good,” Black said. “The last two weeks have been really, really positive for Daniel.

“He’s a big part of our bullpen. He’s pumped. He’s excited. He feels as though he’s ready.”

Bard’s battle with anxiety to begin the season after being out of baseball from 2013 to 2020 because of the yips was well-publicized. It also brought the subject of mental health and anxiety in baseball into the forefront of the conversation. Since the start of the season, two other players (Detroit’s Austin Meadows and Oakland’s Trevor May) have gone on the injured list with issues related to mental health.

Colorado enters Wednesday’s game with a 5-13 record and a seven-game losing streak.