The Blue Jays introduced the hiring of former Reds supervisor David Bell as their vice chairman of baseball operations and an assistant common supervisor. Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported the information (on X) earlier than the membership announcement.
“Bell will oversee the Participant Improvement and Bodily & Psychological Efficiency departments, whereas additionally contributing to Main League strategic planning selections and advising on participant evaluations and acquisitions,” Toronto introduced in a press launch. Bell turns into the third assistant GM beneath Ross Atkins within the baseball operations hierarchy. Michael Murov and Joe Sheehan additionally maintain that title. Former Astros common supervisor James Click on performs a key position as vice chairman of baseball technique.
The 52-year-old Bell strikes again into participant improvement after six seasons within the dugout. Bell has expertise in that capability, as he labored within the Giants’ participant improvement division in 2018. The Reds employed him to handle going into the ’19 season. The Reds went 409-456 throughout Bell’s managerial run. Their solely postseason look got here within the expanded discipline in 2020.
Issues seemed to be trending up when the Reds surprisingly gained 82 video games in 2023. They took a step again this 12 months and Cincinnati fired Bell within the last week of a dropping season. They coaxed Terry Francona out of retirement initially of the offseason. Bell’s contract with the Reds ran by way of the 2026 season.
