The Cincinnati Reds have decided to part ways with manager David Bell.
Bell, who had been managing the team for six seasons, was under contract until 2026. Bench coach Freddie Benavides will step in as interim manager for the last five games of this season.
“David provided the kind of steadiness that we needed in our clubhouse over the last few seasons,” said Nick Krall, president of baseball operations. “We felt a change was needed to move the major-league team forward. We have not achieved the success we expected, and we need to begin focusing on 2025.”
In Bell’s final game, the Reds lost 2-0 to the Pirates. This season, they are 76-81 and sit fourth in their division. Over his tenure, Bell’s record was 409-456 (.473). He led them to a playoff spot during the shortened 2020 season but faced challenges afterward, including a tough 62-100 season in 2022. Despite some progress in 2023 with a winning record, they couldn’t keep it up in 2024.
Managerial Changes:
Bell is now the third manager fired this year; Pedro Grifol of the White Sox and Scott Servais of the Mariners were also let go earlier.
Freddie Benavides will take over temporarily. Drafted by Cincinnati back in ’87 as an infielder, he spent his early playing years there and has been Bell’s bench coach since 2019.
Fans might think this change is necessary for future success.
What do you think about these changes?
