Rockies activate closer from injured list for rare moments they are winning

The Colorado Rockies are off to their worst 18-game start ever, but at least there’s some feel good ahead of Wednesday’s ballgame.

Daniel Bard, who began the season on the injured list with anxiety, was reinstated ahead of the series finale with the Pirates. Bard recorded 34 saves last season, his third with the Rockies.

Bard, a former Comeback Player of the Year, spent seven years out of major league ball as he battled the yips and eventually retired. All in all, Bard’s great play with the Rockies over the past few seasons earned him a contract extension around the trade deadline last summer.

Bard got off to a rough start ahead of this season, struggling for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic, and throwing a pitch that broke Astros star Jose Altuve’s hand. Bard admitted that situation got to him a bit when he was put on the Injured List.

Colorado native and offseason acquisition Pierce Johnson has been filling as the team’s closer, recording three saves in seven appearances with a 1.79 ERA. Bard meanwhile has kept throwing, off to the side with bullpens and down in Triple-A a few nights ago.

Sadly for the Rockies and Bard, he may not get many chances to lock down the ninth for the Rockies, who have lost more games in a row, seven, than they’ve won this entire season thus far, five. Johnson and the rest of the bullpen have been mostly fine, it’s been the Rockies starting pitching and hitting that’s pushed them off to a rough start.

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