Blue Jays: David Bell named Reds’ manager

David Bell is the new manager of the Cincinnati Reds, taking him out of the running for the Toronto Blue Jays job.

According to an official team announcement early Sunday morning, the Cincinnati Reds have named former San Francisco Giants VP of player development David Bell as their new manager. The release also notes that Bell is signed to a three-year contract with an included club option for the 2022 season.

This move hardly comes as a surprise, as Jon Morosi of MLB Network recently reported that Bell was considered the favourite for the job. Although he had been long connected to the Reds, there was still a slim possibility that he would’ve taken a job elsewhere.

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Bell, 46, was also mentioned as one of the four finalists for the Blue Jays managerial vacancy by Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Bell, along with Rocco Baldelli, Joe Espada, and Brandon Hyde, was one of the known names that had advanced to the second round of interviews.

Now, there is one less name in the list of finalists. With Baldelli, Hyde, and Espada all garnering significant interest from other clubs looking to fill managerial vacancies, it’s imperative that the Blue Jays move quickly in naming their new skipper. Ross Atkins noted earlier this month that the team will hope to name their new skipper within a few weeks.

In new speculation, Jenn Smith of Sporting News noted on Twitter Sunday morning that Baldelli “is the lead candidate”. Whether or not Baldelli would pick the Jays job over the others is unknown, but Smith’s point of valuing Baldelli as a prime candidate is certainly valid.

Regardless, Bell’s removal from the manager sweepstakes means that the Blue Jays, led by Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro, are one step closer to naming their manager.