Rockies reliever Daniel Bard will miss the season

Daniel Bard was the Rockies’ closer two years ago. He remained a key bullpen arm last year after missing the start of the season while on the injured list due to anxiety.

But he started the season on the injured list after a knee injury. And now, Daniel Bard will miss the rest of the season after undergoing flexor-tendon surgery.

It’s a crushing blow for a Rockies bullpen that has struggled mightily to open the season. Putative closer Justin Lawrence blew a save in the home opener against Tampa Bay and has struggled in most of his appearances, lugging a 2.357 WHIP into the Rockies’ series at Toronto that starts Friday night.

The only Rockies reliever with a WHIP below 1.300 is Victor Vodnik, acquired from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline last year. Vodnik has a spotless ERA; Nick Mears and Peter Lambert have ERAs below 3.00. Everyone else in the bullpen as an ERA of at least 5.00 so far this season.

Colorado also has the worst bullpen ERA (6.52) and bullpen walk rate (7.08 walks per nine innings). In other words, it’s a ‘pen that could desperately use the help that Daniel Bard could provide.

This continues a frustrating two years for Bard, who will not live up to the contract given to him by the Rockies during his wondrous comeback season of 2022. At the time, the Rockies eschewed trade interest to re-sign Bard to a 2-year, $19-million deal.

Bard will finish the two seasons of that contract with an ERA above 6.00 — 6.03, to be exact — and a WHIP of 1.703. It’s a long way from the form he displayed in 2022, when he racked up 34 saves.