Daniel Bard was poised to go into Opening Day as the closer of the Colorado Rockies. However, his life has created other plans. While it put him on the Rockies injured list, Bard's brave admission showed that sometimes things are bigger than sports.
Bard was placed on the injured list with anxiety, via Kelsey Wingert-Linch of AT&T SportsNet. The closer had been struggling with his control following the World Baseball Classic. He's decided to step away and focus on his mental health, rather than force himself forward.
It isn't often fans get to see the true mental side of professional sports. It's even more rare for a player to be listed injured due to mental health issues. However, Bard is bucking the trend. He was open and transparent about his problems. The Rockies understood where Bard was coming from and wanted to give him the time to work through his anxiety issues.
It isn't known how long Bard will be out. However, he will certainly be missing Rockies' Opening Day. However, Colorado and Bard are clearly valuing the pitcher's health following the injured list decision.
Daniel Bard has been with the Rockies since 2020. In that time he has pitched to a 3.58 ERA and a 176/71 K/BB ratio with 60 saves. He was coming off of arguably his best season in the big leagues with a 1.79 ERA, a 69/25 K/BB ratio and 34 saves. The saves and ERA were both career-bests.
Bard will be a major loss for the Rockies. In a crowded NL West, losing a burgeoning closer is not the key for success. However, Colorado is treating Bard's injury like any physical injury. They know Bard needs time off. The Rockies' closer was brave enough to ask for it.
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