Cincinnati Reds, David Bell agree to contract extension

The Cincinnati Reds and field manager David Bell have agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2026 season.

Bell, 50, in October 2018 was signed to a three-year contract through the 2021 season, with a club option for 2022, to become the 63rd field manager in club history and the 53rd since 1900. On Sept. 22, 2021, the club announced a two-year contract extension through 2023.

The Reds went 203-283 (.418) in the three seasons prior to Bell's hiring and 307-343 (.472) with a 2020 postseason appearance in five seasons since then.

This year, the Reds are trying to become the first team in Major League history to win a division championship after losing at least 100 games the season before.

In 2020 and 2021, the Reds produced winning records in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2012-13. Bell's 2020 Reds went 31-29 during a season abbreviated by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and earned their first Postseason berth since 2013. He received a pair of third-place votes and finished ninth in the 2020 National League Manager of the Year Award voting of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Bell and his father, former infielder and front office executive Buddy, are one of five father-son duos to serve as Major League managers, joining George & Dick Sisler, Bob & Joel Skinner, Bob & Aaron Boone and Felipe Alou & Luis Rojas. Buddy Bell managed the Detroit Tigers (1996-1998), Colorado Rockies (2000-2002) and Kansas City Royals (2005-2007).

The Bells are one of Major League Baseball’s five three-generation families, along with the Boones, Colemans, Hairstons and Schofield/Werths. Reds Hall of Famer Gus Bell is Buddy's father and David's grandfather. David's brothers, Mike and Rick, also played professional baseball. Mike made 19 appearances for the Reds in 2000.

David Bell was born in and grew up in Cincinnati. He helped lead Moeller High School to the 1989 state baseball championship.