12 Former Red Sox Available in Free Agency
By Ryan Bunton
9. Daniel Bard
Daniel Bard is somewhat of a folk hero among Red Sox Nation. A first-round pick, Bard came up through the minor leagues as a highly touted flamethrower who was poised as the heir apparent to closer Jonathan Papelbon. He made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2009.
In 2011, Bard set the Red Sox franchise record for consecutive scoreless appearances, as he didn't allow a run in 25 consecutive outings.
Bard's best season with Boston came in 2010 when he held opponents to a 1.93 ERA in 73 appearances. In 2012, the Red Sox made an ill-fated decision to convert Bard to a starter, and his ERA ballooned to 6.22. His loss of control led to his walks and hit-by-pitches skyrocketing – leading to his demise.
Bard would make two appearances for the Red Sox in 2013, but wouldn't pitch again in the big leagues until 2020 with the Colorado Rockies. The once-retired Bard had the best season of his career in 2022. In 56 games for Colorado, the 37-year-old posted a 1.79 ERA and struck out batters at a 10.3 K/9 rate.
His control problems began to re-emerge in 2023 and Bard eventually missed all of the 2024 season with a meniscus and right elbow injury. Bard's journey has been an inspirational one – hopefully he gets another MLB shot in 2025 at 39 years old.