Intriguing Reliever Who Was Trying to Make Comeback with Seattle Mariners Retires
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Daniel Bard, who was trying to make a comeback with the Seattle Mariners, has retired at the age of 40. The retirement is listed on his MLB player page and was picked up by Colorado Rockies' Insider Patrick Lyons.
According to his MLB transactions page, RHP Daniel Bard has called it a career.
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) July 18, 2025
Bard, 40, was first signed by the Boston Red Sox in 2006 out of UNC Chapel Hill. pic.twitter.com/S5ZAYXlMrP
Bard ends his career as a nine-year veteran of the Boston Red Sox and Rockies, but he had a very interesting career arc. He came up in 2009 and played with Boston through 2013, but then he didn't appear in a game until 2020 because of poor control and poor performance, and he even retired in 2018 before coming back with the Rockies in 2020.
Though the Rockies have struggled for several years, Bard put up solid numbers in a tough place to pitch. He went 21-16 in those four years, pitching to a 3.83 ERA. He had a career-high 34 saves in 2022. He did not play affiliated baseball in 2024, and ended up making seven appearances for Mariners' affiliates between the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A Tacoma this season.
In six games with Triple-A Tacoma, he went 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA.
The Mariners likely need another reliever at the trade deadline as they work to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022, but Bard will no longer be an option.
Seattle is 52-45 and in second place in the American League West. They are just four games back of the Houston Astros.
The M's and Astros will play each other on Saturday night with first pitch coming at 6:40 p.m. PT.
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