Red Sox DFA pitcher Bard
The Boston Red Sox designated right-handed pitcher Daniel Bard for assignment Sunday to make room on their 40-man roster, ESPNBoston.com reported.
The Red Sox also added newly acquired infielder John McDonald and outfielder Quintin Berry to the roster and placed right-hander Alex Wilson on the 60-day disabled list.
Bard, 28, has struggled with his confidence and injuries in the past couple seasons after showing much promise earlier in his career.
The Red Sox demoted Bard to the minors earlier in the season after he appeared in just two games for Boston.
Bard was a dominant late-inning reliever from 2009-11, but struggled after that.
"Not an easy one," manager John Farrell said. "Given what he's been able to do in the past and obviously dealing with the struggles with consistency that are there, unfortunately he's in the position he's in. He won't be able to pitch with (Class A) Lowell until the waiver period expires, and if he's still in the organization, which we would hope that would be the case unless some team either claims or works out a trade for him, we haven't turned our back on him.
"And yet, we needed a roster spot and we're hopeful that we can get Daniel back on track to the pitcher that he was here at the big league level, which was a dominant one."
Farrell was once Bard's pitching coach.
Bard set club records for holds in 2010 and '11 with 32 and 34, respectively. His 79 holds from 2009-11 were the most ever by a major leaguer in his first 192 appearances.
The Red Sox converted Bard to a start in 2012. That resulted in Bard going 4-6 with a 5.30 ERA in 10 starts. He went to the minors for much of the summer but returned in September as a relief pitcher.
