Rockies Reliever Possible Trade Target for Texas Rangers

Daniel Bard is pitching some of the best baseball of his career for a Colorado Rockies team that is dropping out of the race.

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Rangers need bullpen help. Rangers general manager Chris Young knows and reportedly “fully intends” to add an arm or two to the bullpen by the trade deadline.

These aren’t internal options like top pitching prospect Owen White being recalled to Arlington to be a long reliever against the Angels. These are external options.

MLB.com recently outlined a host of potential bullpen options but didn’t connect them to teams.

There is one intriguing option, one that does have a significant price tag in 2024 but is pitching some of his best baseball at 37 years old.

Colorado Rockies’ Daniel Bard is a reliever languishing with a team that enters Wednesday’s action 11 games under .500 and 13 games out of the National League West. He is 2-0 with a 0.92 ERA in 19 games.

He has closer experience, having saved 34 games in 2022 and 20 in 2021. In nine MLB seasons, he has a 3.51 ERA.

The Rangers know him — a little. He spent some time with the Texas organization in 2014 while struggling with his command. He walked nine and hit seven batters with the Rangers’ Class-A club before he was released.

At one point his control issues became so bad that he retired from baseball. He attempted a comeback with the Rockies in 2020 — yes the pandemic year — and went 4-2 with a 3.65 ERA and was the National League Comeback Player of the Year.

He’s been a reliable arm in the Rockies bullpen ever since.

Bard’s value will likely never be higher for the Rockies when it comes to a trade. He’s owed $9.5 million in 2024, which means the Rangers — or any other team that acquires him — would have to take that salary on for a pitcher that has set-up and closer experience.

It's not clear if the Rockies are looking to move Bard at the deadline. But for a Rangers bullpen that is struggling for consistency beyond closer Will Smith and set-up man Josh Sborz, a trade — and investment for one more year — might be worth it.

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