3 managers the Reds should target after firing David Bell

For the length of the season, it's been debated as to whether the Cincinnati Reds would fire their sitting manager, David Bell, or not. On one hand, the Reds weren't winning at the rate that the front office wanted them to. But on the other hand, players were either getting injured or underperforming. You can't fault the manager for that.

But ultimately, Cincinnati decided to part ways with David Bell with just a handful of games left in the 2024 season. For the most part, this was expected. The timing is a little weird though, as Cincinnati could have just waited until the end of the season, but opted to make the move before it ended.

Either way, they will be looking for a long-term managerial option this offseason. They need somebody who can fit their style of play and the youth that comes with the Cincinnati Reds.

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3. Barry Larkin

The first name on the list has been floated around this position for the past five or six years. It's the Reds all-time great shortstop, Barry Larkin.

In the past, Larkin has denied the idea of managing, opting to stay in player development and in the commentary booth. But when pressed about the idea, Larkin admitted that a lot of the younger players had pushed for the idea of him taking over as the team's manager.

This idea is a rumor that has swirled around the organization for years now. The players love Larkin and Larkin loves them—and the game of baseball—right back. He has the knowledge and the leadership that it takes to do the job. He's also a notorious winner who has often criticized Cincinnati's complacency as a middle-of-the-pack team in the league. It's definitely an interesting option.

If the Reds want to stay in-house with their managerial pick, Larkin would make a ton of sense. He doesn't have the experience at the position that fits the "win now" mantra that comes with Cincinnati's decision to fire Bell though. It's a long shot that they hire Larkin as their manager, but it would certainly be fun.

2. Mark Kotsay

Now we move on to an option that's a lot less fun for Reds fans, but probably a better business decision for the team. Mark Kotsay is the sitting manager for the Oakland Athletics. He is expected to part ways with the team at the conclusion of the season, as Oakland is headed for a relocation and a complete transformation of their franchise, including the manager.

When Kotsay parts ways with the Athletics, he's definitely one of the options that Cincinnati could look into. The first thing that people will point out about Kotsay is his managerial record being horrifically bad. But that has less to do with him, his managerial skills and the job he's doing and more to do with the players put on his roster.

In fact, many consider the A's to be overachieving quite a bit this season, though they have fallen off down the stretch.

Acquiring Kotsay wouldn't be the big upgrade that Cincinnati is looking for. It would be a lateral move rather than a step forward from David Bell. He's going to be one of the better managers available, but he definitely wouldn't be Cincinnati's number one choice.

He would be a step away from hiring from within, which is something that many fans are calling for.

1. Skip Schumaker

The number one manager on the market is quite clear at this point in time. It's the sitting manager of the Miami Marlins, Skip Schumaker.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported that Schumaker is expected to inform the Marlins that he's leaving at the end of the season.

"Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who was widely praised for his decision not to pitch around Shohei Ohtani in his record-setting 50 homer-50 steal day last week, is expected to inform the Marlins that he is officially leaving after the season where he will become the hottest free agent manager in baseball," Nightengale wrote.

Schumaker makes sense for the Reds for a few reasons.

First, he's the younger manager that makes sense for the new era of baseball. The Reds are fast and fun, so they need a manager who can match their pace and their intensity.

Schumaker also spent the final two years of his big league career in Cincinnati as a member of the Reds. He's familiar with the city, its front office, the fans and the way that things are ran. He's also the type of manager who isn't afraid to call his players out. He's not going to go soft on his players in order to save their feelings, which is crucial to the development of the young Reds.

This is likely Cincinnati's No. 1 choice. The issue is Schumaker will be the No. 1 choice for just about every team that's in the market for a manager.