is losing the entire 2024 season to injury. The Rockies reliever underwent arthroscopic surgery to fix a meniscus tear in his left knee in February. While rehabbing, he went down with a forearm injury and underwent a season-ending flexor tendon repair. At the time of the arm surgery, the 38-year-old righty was noncommittal about whether hed continue his career. Now that hes six weeks removed from the procedure, Bard tells that he plans to give it another go. Going into the surgery, I was probably 50-50 , Bard told Saunders over the weekend. When you first find out you need surgery and you are going to mi s 12 months, there is that moment of disappointment. You kind of get the wind knocked out of you. But having a few weeks to think about it and watch baseball, it really makes me want to see if Ive got it next spring. Bard, who turns 39 in June, is in the second season of an extension he signed with Mike Conley Jersey the Rox. He was amidst a stellar 2022 season as Colorados closer when he and the team agreed on a two-year, $19MM deal covering the 2023-24 campaigns. The extension came together days before the 22 trade deadline. Bard would have been one of the top rental relievers on the summer market, but a noncompetitive Colorado team elected to keep him around. That decision didnt work out at all as the Rox hoped. Bard began the 2023 season on the injured list after battling anxiety i sues that had sidetracked his career in the mid-2010s. While he made it back to the mound, he had trouble finding the strike zone. Bard walked more than 21% of opposing hitters and spent the season working in the middle innings. He probably would have gotten another chance to compete for the closer role this spring, but the injuries wrecked that plan. Saunders writes that Bard will spend his time on the injured list in Denver to serve as a mentor to Colorados younger bullpen mates. The Rox have had a very tough go in the late innings. Rockies relievers have allowed a league-worst 5.10 earned runs per nine. and have managed decent run prevention marks despite middling strikeout rates. The rest of Colorados bullpen has struggled, with particularly disappointing numbers from late-inning arms and . Given the seemingly strong relationship between Bard and the Rockies, it wouldnt be a surprise if Colorado keeps him around for his 2025 comeback attempt. Hell be a free agent next offseason and will almost certainly need to take a minor league contract, but the Rox could have interest in such an arrangement. Sean McDermott Jersey