CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds dismissed manager David Bell on Sunday night after six seasons with the team.
The announcement came just hours after a 2-0 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates, and bench coach Freddie Benavides has been named interim manager for the remaining five games of the season.
“David brought the stability we needed in the clubhouse over the last few years. However, we believe a change is necessary to advance the Major League team. We haven’t achieved the success we expected, and it’s time to shift our focus to 2025,” said Nick Krall, President of Baseball Operations, in a statement posted on the Reds’ website.
With only a week left in the season, the Reds hold a record of 76-81 and sit fourth in the NL Central, trailing division leader Milwaukee by 13.5 games. They will finish the season with five road games, starting with a two-game series against Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by three games in Chicago against the Cubs.
The 52-year-old Bell, whose grandfather Gus and father Buddy both played for the Reds, was hired in October 2018 and compiled a 409-456 record during his tenure.
In 2020, Bell led the Reds to a postseason appearance in a season shortened to 60 games due to COVID-19. The team finished the 2021 season with an 83-79 record, placing third in the NL Central and producing a National League Rookie of the Year in second baseman Jonathan India.
However, the Reds suffered a 100-loss season in 2022, the first time in four decades. They improved to 82-80 in 2023, despite leading the majors with 650 player games missed due to injuries.
This season began with high hopes that the Reds and Bell were unable to fulfill. A troubling eight-game losing streak in May left the team five games under .500. Although they rallied with seven consecutive wins in June, they couldn’t maintain that momentum.
Consistency plagued the team throughout the season, even after a three-game sweep of the Yankees from July 2-4. They appeared poised for a postseason push following an August 12-14 sweep of the Cardinals, bringing their record to 60-61 and tying for second place in the NL Central, but continued inconsistency hampered their efforts, compounded by injuries to key pitchers Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott.
Despite Bell’s leadership, the Reds struggled to capitalize on their talented core, including India, Greene, Elly De La Cruz, and Matt McLain.
Bell’s firing marks him as the third manager to be let go this season, joining the likes of Chicago White Sox’s Pedro Grifol and Seattle Mariners’ Scott Servais. Krall is expected to address the media on Monday at Great American Ball Park.