Daniel Bard, the MLB player who will be on the disabled list due to anxiety

 Daniel Bard, the MLB player who will be on the disabled list due to anxiety

Pitcher Daniel Bard will start the 2023 MLB season on the Colorado Rockies' 15-day disabled list due to anxiety.

Mental health used to be taboo in professional sports, but more and more high-performance athletes are opening up about it. The most recent case is that of the closer for the Colorado Rockies of the Major Leagues, Daniel Bard.

The Rockies pitcher will start the 2023 Major League Baseball season on the 15-day disabled list as he is dealing with anxiety issues.

"From my experience, knowing myself, I think I'll just step aside, take my time to work things out, be okay, that's the best way," Bard told MLB.com.

Bard was away from the big leagues from the 2014 through 2019 seasons due to yips, which is a type of focal dystonia. This condition causes involuntary muscle contractions.

“It's hard to admit, but I've been through this before,” the closer told the Denver Gazette. “I have lived too long off the diamond to realize what is important. I'm grateful to be in an organization that understands this and accepts it."

The 38-year-old pitcher's career began in 2009 with the Boston Red Sox and he was on the AL East team until he walked away from the diamond for the jeeps. In 2020 he returned for

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Daniel Bard struggled in the World Classic

Daniel Bard was a member of the USA Baseball squad that finished in second place in the last World Classic and his participation was not the best.

During his relief against Venezuela in the second round of the tournament, the pitcher had trouble controlling his pitches. His participation ended with two walks, a hit by a pitch (which broke José Altuve's right thumb), a wild pitch and a hit allowed.