Reds, manager David Bell reach 3-year extension

Amid the Cincinnati Reds' unexpected burst from rebuild to contention, manager David Bell and the team have agreed on a three-year contract extension.

The extension takes the 50-year-old Bell, who began the season in the final year of his contract, through 2026. Financial terms were not announced.

Bell, a Cincinnati native and part of the family's three generations to play in the majors, guided the team to a playoff berth in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. The Reds were 31-29 that season and 83-79 the following season, the only times the team has broken .500 in his Cincinnati tenure. The Reds began Friday night with a 307-343 record under Bell.

An infusion of rookies, led by Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain, have led Cincinnati's charge this season.

"I absolutely love our players. Love our team, love the direction we're headed in, and I really feel strongly about where we're headed. A lot of wins ahead, a lot of success ahead, and I'm truly, truly honored to be able to do this, a job that I love, in the city of Cincinnati," Bell said before Friday night's series opener vs. the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

Bell was an infielder for a handful of teams in his 12-year playing career.