CINCINNATI — Manager David Bell has signed a three-year contract extension through the 2026 season, the Cincinnati Reds announced Friday.
The extension comes after Bell's contract was supposed to expire at the end of this season.
Bell, who is a Cincinnati native and Moeller High School grad, was first signed in 2018 to a three-year contract through the 2021 season, with a club option for 2022 — making him the 63rd field manager in Reds club history. In September 2021, the team announced a two-year contract extension through 2023.
Before his start as manager of the Reds, Bell was the bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Prior to Bell's hiring, the Reds were 203-283 (.418) in the three previous seasons.
In 2020 and 2021, Bell helped lead the Reds to producing consecutive winning records for the first time since 2012-2013. In 2020, a season shortened due to COVID, they also went to the postseason for the first time since 2013.
If the Reds win the divisional championship this year, they'll be the first team to do so after losing at least 100 games the season before. Currently, they trail the Milwaukee Brewers by 1.5 games in the NL Central but are set to advance as a Wild Card team.
Bell, 50, is also one of five father-son duos to serve as MLB managers. His father Buddy, who left the Reds organization several months ago, managed the Detroit Tigers (1996-1998), Colorado Rockies (2000-2002) and Kansas City Royals (2005-2007).
Bell's grandfather and Buddy's father, Gus Bell, is also a Reds Hall of Famer. They are one of five MLB's three-generation families.
The announcement came just an hour before the Reds kicked off a three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
