Former Seattle Mariners Infielder Gets High-Ranking Position with Toronto Blue Jays
Former Seattle Mariners third baseman David Bell has officially received a new (and important) job with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today on social media:
Congratulations to David Bell, who is being hired by the Toronto Blue Jays as their new vice president/baseball operations and assistant GM, per @bnicholsonsmith and @shidavidi. Bell, dismissed in September by the Cincinnati Reds after 6 years as manager, is widely considered as one of the nicest, most genuine people in the game.
Congratulations to David Bell, who is being hired by the Toronto Blue Jays as their new vice president/baseball operations and assistant GM, per @bnicholsonsmith and @ShiDavidi. Bell, dismissed in September by the Cincinnati Reds after 6 years as manager, is widely considered as…
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 15, 2024
Over his six years as manager in Cincinnati, he went 409-456. He had a winning record and took the Reds to the playoffs in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and also went 82-80 in 2023. The Reds were one of the more disappointing teams in baseball this season, going 77-85, but it's hard to pin it all on Bell. The team missed shortstop Matt McLain for the season and saw top prospect Noelvi Marte get suspended for 80 games for PED use.
As a player, Bell spent 12 years in the big leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies, Mariners, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers.
He spent parts of four seasons in Seattle and was a part of the history-making 2001 team that won 116 games. He got to the ALCS in both 2000 and 2001 with the M's, hitting 47 home runs with the Mariners in total. He was a .262 hitter in Seattle.
With the Blue Jays, Bell will have a hand in what is a major offseason for the franchise. They are working to sign Juan Soto but also have questions to answer about the future of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Toronto finished last in the American League East in 2024.
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