Closer Daniel Bard, Rockies agree to one-year, $4.4M deal

Bard was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur draft and made his big league debut in 2009. After a solid first few seasons with Boston -- including a 2010 campaign where he set career-best marks in games (73) and ERA (1.93) -- Bard hit a rough patch starting in 2012.

The 36-year-old hard-throwing righty was moved into the starting rotation at the beginning of that season and struggled. The Houston, Texas native posted a 5-6 record with a 6.22 ERA and 1.73 WHIP across 17 games -- 10 starts -- that year, and made only two appearances in 2013.

Bard then played with various minor league teams across the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons, but had control issues on the mound and retired in 2017 to become a player mentor.

He then made his return to MLB with the Rockies in 2020 and earned the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award. Bard finished the 2021 season as Colorado's saves leader with 20.