Report: Cincinnati Reds likely to retain GM Walt Jocketty
By Phil Watson
There have been rumors that Hall of Famer Tony La Russa and longtime executive Walt Jocketty would reunite with the Arizona Diamondbacks after the season, but according to a report, Jocketty is expected to remain as the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reported Saturday that La Russa, the chief baseball officer in Arizona, could replace either GM Kevin Towers of manager Kirk Gibson with the Diamondbacks, but that
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Jocketty—who worked with La Russa for 12 seasons as GM of the St. Louis Cardinals while La Russa managed the club—is not likely to be part of the mix in the desert.
Instead, Jocketty—who has been the GM in Cincinnati since April 2008—is expected to sign a new contract to remain with the Reds.
Cincinnati has struggled through an injury-plagued campaign and is 61-68 after making the postseason three times in the last four seasons.
Former MVP Joey Votto has been limited to 62 games because of knee problems, All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips missed more than a month with a thumb injury and right fielder Jay Bruce has slumped all season, hitting just .219/.295/.380 after driving in 109 runs in 2013.
The Reds have also dealt with injuries on the pitching staff. Starter Mat Latos didn’t pitch until mid-June after offseason shoulder surgery, Homer Bailey has been out for two weeks with a knee problem and closer Aroldis Chapman missed the first six weeks of the season after sustaining a fractured skull when struck by a line drive in spring training.
The Reds are coming up on some major contracts expiring after the 2015 season, including most of the starting rotation—Latos, Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake and Alfredo Simon.