The Colorado Rockies have activated closer Daniel Bard off the injured list, the team announced Wednesday. Bard began the season on the IL with anxiety and has been open about his mental health issues over the years.
Here's what Bard told Bally Sports earlier this month:
"I want to use my story to just give hope for people to get through really hard things, especially in sports," he said in Miami last month, before it all went sideways in the WBC quarterfinal against Venezuela when he faced four batters, surrendered four runs and recorded no outs. "But also people outside of sports and different areas, different walks of life. Different professions where they hit a roadblock and feel like they lost their ability to do something they're supposed to be good at.
"I don't necessarily have clear-cut, take-this-pill kind of solutions, but I do have a lot of things I know helped me and are a piece of the healing process for me."
Bard battled extreme control problems -- commonly referred to as the "yips" -- earlier in his career and essentially retired following the 2017 season. He worked as a player mentor and mental skills coach with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2018-20 before deciding to attempt a comeback, which led him to the Rockies.
Now 37, Bard's comeback has been remarkable. He pitched to a 3.58 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 150 1/3 innings with Colorado from 2020-22. Bard saved 60 games those three seasons and received a two-year, $19 million contract extension last July.
Earlier this month Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows stepped away from the team for mental health reasons. "I hope he's getting what he needs. It takes time to heal, just like any other injury," Bard told Bally Sports.
