Seattle Mariners Sign Almost 40-Year Former Elite Reliever in Interesting Roster Move
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In need of bullpen help any place that they can find it, the Seattle Mariners have signed almost 40-year-old reliever Daniel Bard to a minor league contract.
Per Rob Bradford of the 'Baseball Isn't Boring' podcast:
Per source, Daniel Bard has signed a minor-league deal with @Mariners. Will begin with 10 days in Arizona before reporting to Tacoma. Has multiple opt-outs over next couple of months.
Per source, Daniel Bard has signed a minor-league deal with @Mariners. Will begin with 10 days in Arizona before reporting to Tacoma. Has multiple opt-outs over next couple of months.
— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) June 5, 2025
The 39-year-old is a nine-year veteran of the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies, but he has 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, so this is certainly a reach for Jerry Dipoto and Co., but the M's are desperate for 'pen help.
Seattle lost another lead on Wednesday as part of a 3-2 loss against the Baltimore Orioles. This came after three blown saves in a row against the Minnesota Twins over the weekend.
The M's enter play on Thursday at 32-28 and in second place in the American League West. They'll play the Orioles again at 12:40 p.m. PT.
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