CINCINNATI – The search for a new manager for the Cincinnati Reds will begin immediately following the firing of David Bell after six seasons, President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall said Monday.
The team announced the move Sunday night after a 2-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Backup coach Freddie Benavides was named interim coach for the final five games of the season. Most of the other coaches will remain in place until a new coach is hired.
Krall cited inconsistency, philosophical differences, players not living up to their potential and the fact that some young players added to the roster last season did not develop as quickly as the organization had hoped.
“Looking at the whole thing, I think we should have been better,” he said.
Bell, 52, whose grandfather Gus and father Buddy both spent part of their careers in Cincinnati, was hired by the Reds in October 2018. He posted a 409-456 record in six seasons.
His contract was extended in July 2023.
“We made the decision to extend David’s contract last season because I thought we were moving in the right direction by developing a younger core of players to develop in the big leagues,” Krall said. “But after reflecting on everything this season, I decided we needed to go in a different direction with the leadership in the big leagues locker room. That’s why we made the change.”
With one week to go in the season, the Reds are in fourth place in the National League Central at 76-81, 13½ games behind division champion Milwaukee. Cincinnati finishes the season with five road games. The Reds play a two-game series in Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday before finishing the season with three games in Chicago against the Cubs.
“If we make the decision now, we can meet with everyone (in the organization) on the last road trip. We can start that process and have a week’s head start instead of waiting until we know what the decision is going to be,” Krall said.
Under Bell, the Reds reached a postseason berth in his second season in 2020, which was shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Reds finished the 2021 season with a respectable record of 83-79, good enough for third place in the NL Central. That season also saw second baseman Jonathan India win the National League Rookie of the Year award.
In 2022, Cincinnati lost 100 games for the first time in four decades. The Reds improved their record to 82-80 in 2023, despite leading the major leagues with 650 games missed due to injury.
This season began with high expectations, but Bell and the Reds were unable to live up to them. There was a lack of consistency throughout the season, which was exacerbated by injuries to key players.
During Bell’s tenure, the Reds brought in a talented core that was supposed to take the organization back to the top, including India, Hunter Greene, Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain. But Cincinnati hasn’t been able to get over the hump.
Bell is the third manager fired this season. The Chicago White Sox fired Pedro Grifol and three other managers on Aug. 8, just days after the team ended a 21-game losing streak, tying the American League record.
The Seattle Mariners released Scott Servais on August 22, in the middle of his ninth season with the team.
