Reds name Freddie Benavides interim manager

The Cincinnati Reds have named Freddie Benavides of Laredo, Texas as their new interim manager. Benavides replaces David Bell of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was fired as the Reds manager on Sunday. Benavides will be the interim manager for the final five games of the 2024 Major League Baseball regular season. The Reds play Cleveland Guardians Tuesday and Wednesday, before three games this weekend at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs.

Fourth in the National League Central

The Reds are at 76 wins and 81 losses. They are 13.5 games back of the division leading Milwaukee Brewers.

Bell’s managerial record in Cincinnati

Bell has managed the Cincinnati Reds for the last six seasons. Since 2019, Bell had a record of 409 wins and 456 losses for a winning percentage of .473.

While Bell managed the Reds, Cincinnati reached the playoffs once. That was in the coronavirus shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season. The Reds were the number seven seed in an expanded baseball playoff (eight teams made the postseason), before losing two games to none in a best of three series to the Atlanta Braves. Four franchises from the National League Central reached the first round of the 2020 MLB postseason, but all four NL Central teams lost in the first round, as the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers were also eliminated.

While Bell managed the Reds, Cincinnati turned things around in 2023 (improved from 62 wins in 2022 to 82 wins in 2023), but then dropped to 76 wins in 2024.

Freddie Benavides coaching history

Benavides has been part of the Reds coaching staff since 2016. He was their first base coach and then bench coach.

Benavides’s playing career

Benavides played four seasons of Major League Baseball as an infielder. He was with the Reds in 1991 and 1992, Colorado Rockies in 1993, and Montreal Expos in 1994. He batted .253 with four home runs and 52 runs batted in. During 219 games, 534 at bats and 566 plate appearances, Benavides scored 53 runs and had 135 hits, 26 doubles, five triples, four stolen bases, 20 walks, 183 total bases, six sacrifice bunts, three sacrifice flies, and an on base percentage of .282 and a slugging percentage of .343.