The Cincinnati Reds are in the market for a new manager after firing David Bell late Sunday.
With the announcement, BetOhio has taken a brief break from keeping track of the Cincinnati Bengals to look at who will take over in the dugout next season for the oldest professional baseball team. A reminder, these odds are for infotainment purposes only. You will not find them at any Ohio sports betting operator, such as ESPN BET or bet365.
Candidate | Current Job | Odds | Percent Chance |
Skip Schumaker | Marlins Manager | +350 | 22.2% |
Barry Larkin | Reds Analyst | +475 | 17.4% |
Will Venable | Rangers Associate Manager | +700 | 12.5% |
Terry Francona | Former Guardians Manager | +700 | 12.5% |
Scott Servais | Former Mariners Manager | +1000 | 9.1% |
Gabe Kapler | Marlins Assistant GM | +1000 | 9.1% |
The Field |
| +475 | 17.4% |
After a surprising 2023 campaign that saw the Reds in playoff contention until the final weekend, Bell’s team regressed this season. A 2-0 loss Sunday to Pittsburgh ended Cincinnati’s home schedule and, with a 76-81 season and five games remaining, it guaranteed they would not finish 2024 above .500.
Injuries were a major factor in the Reds’ struggles this season. Second baseman Matt McLain, who hit .290 with 16 home runs in 89 games as a 2023 rookie, injured his shoulder in spring training and missed the season. Centerfielder TJ Friedl, who had a breakout 2023 campaign with 18 HRs, 27 stolen bases and Gold Glove-caliber defense, broke his wrist in spring training. He missed the first six weeks, then he sat out 42 more games during the season with other injuries. Starting pitchers Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft and Andrew Abbott all had at least one stint on the injured list.
But injuries aren’t the only reason that Cincinnati Reds playoff chances disappeared. The team has struggled offensively this season. Cincy’s .233 team average is fifth-lowest in the majors. Bell preached an aggressive style of play on the bases, seeking to force opponents to make a play. That led to 205 steals, second best in the majors, but it also led to several runners being thrown out trying for an extra bag on base hits.
Team president Nick Krall told reporters Monday that “philosophical differences” led to Bell’s firing. He initially declined to speak about them, but he gave some insights into those after some prodding.
“I think that when you look at where we were, we underperformed this year,” Krall said. “We were not very good. We took a lot of extra bases. We got thrown out a lot on the bases. We did some things that, at times, we were a little undisciplined in what we did.”
The Reds have not won a playoff series since 1995, the longest current drought in the majors. Still, there are a lot of reasons why the job will be attractive and why MLB betting futures on them in 2025 might draw some wagers. For starters, Cincinnati has a deep pool of talented youngsters, positioning the franchise to be competitive in the years to come.
The team also has two emerging stars who offer a strong foundation. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz has become one of the game’s most popular players thanks to his rare combination of elite speed and power. The switch-hitter leads the majors with 65 stolen bases – 10 more than Shohei Ohtani – and he has hit 25 home runs. De La Cruz won’t turn 23 until January.
Meanwhile, Hunter Greene became the ace of the pitching staff. The 25-year-old, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2017, sports the third-best Wins Above Replacement (according to Baseball-Reference.com math) for National League pitchers at 5.8. That WAR is seventh-best overall in the NL although Greene made only 25 starts with 146-1/3 innings pitched. Customers seeking wagering value, after they find the best Ohio sportsbook promotions with BetOhio.com, might want to watch him next year.
Given Krall’s comments, odds are the Reds will pursue a manager who will look to hold players more accountable. That doesn’t mean the team won’t look to be aggressive. Rather, they want someone to hold players responsible for reckless play on the bases and in the field, too. With a week left in the season, Cincinnati has made the fourth-most errors (95) and has the fourth-lowest fielding percentage (.982) in the majors.
That’s why current Marlins manager Skip Schumaker will likely get an interview. Reports of him being dissatisfied in Miami, where the team chose to rebuild after making the playoffs last year, emerged around the same time Sunday as Bell’s firing. Schumaker has a history with the Reds, as he finished his 11-year career as a utility player with the team in 2014-15.
Another former Red likely to be considered is Barry Larkin. The Hall of Fame shortstop spent his entire career with his hometown team. He said years ago the Reds are the only team he’d consider managing. As a current color commentator on the team’s television broadcast crew, Larkin spoke critically at times about the need for accountability and how that helped the Reds win their last World Series title in 1990.
If you’re looking for a candidate off the board, consider David Ross. The 47-year-old had his best seasons as a player with the Reds nearly 20 years ago. He was unceremoniously dumped by the Chicago Cubs this season and replaced by Craig Counsell in the dugout. He, too, was known as a fiery player and might relish the chance to get back at the Cubs.
Whichever direction the Reds choose, Ohio sportsbook apps have plenty of ways to wager on the team.
USA Today photo by Sam Greene
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
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