Reds, Angels hire skippers
The Reds hired David Bell to be their 63rd manager, and he is tasked with helping turn around a team that skidded to a 67-95 record, last in the NL Central.
He was signed to a three-year contract that includes a team option for 2022. The Reds fired Bryan Price after a 3-15 start, and Jim Riggleman was interim manager for the rest of the season.
Bell, a 46-year-old Cincinnati native, was a minor-league manager for the Reds from 2009-12, became the Cubs’ third-base coach in 2013, the Cardinals’ assistant hitting coach in 2014 and their bench coach from 2015-17. He was the Giants’ vice president of player development last season.
Bell and his father, Reds frontoffice executive Buddy, become the fourth father-son duo to serve as major-league managers, joining George and Dick Sisler, Bob and Joel Skinner, and Bob and Aaron Boone. Buddy Bell managed the Tigers (1996-1998), Rockies (20002002) and Royals (2005-2007).
Angels tab Ausmus
The Angels named Brad Ausmus as their manager and gave him a three-year contract. He moves from the front office, where he was special assistant to general manager Billy Eppler last season, to the dugout to replace longtime skipper Mike Scioscia.
Ausmus was 314-332 in four seasons as the Tigers’ manager from 2014-2017.
Scioscia had held the job since 2000, winning the Angels’ only World Series in 2002 and becoming the winningest manager in franchise history. He left the club earlier this month after 19 seasons and 1,650 victories. But the Angels are coming off three consecutive losing seasons overall for the first time since 1992-94.
Vegas sets the odds
The Red Sox opened as a slight favorite in Las Vegas’ sports books to beat the Dodgers. Oddsmakers set the Red Sox as minus-135 favorites in early betting, while the Dodgers were made plus-115 to win the series. That means a $135 bet on the Red Sox will pay $100, while a $100 bet on the Dodgers pays $115.