Reds Fire Huge Chunk Of Manager's Coaching Staff

Somehow, Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell survived the purge. But five of his coaches did not. After a 100-loss season, the Reds have fired five of Bell's coaches:

  • First base/infield/base running coach Delino DeShields
  • Advance scouting coach Cristian Pérez
  • Bullpen coach Lee Tunnell
  • Assistant coach Rolando Valles
  • Hitting coach Alan Zinter 
“We felt that just these are the right changes for new voices in different places,” said general manager Nick Krall. “We’ve struggled in certain areas this year and we still need to make improvements. And we thought that those were the right change to make.”

Of those that were let go, former major leaguer DeShields was the longest serving, having just completed his 14th season in the Reds organization, the last four on the big-league staff. He spent the previous 10 years in the Reds’ development system, including eight as a manager.

The Reds, of course, let almost all of their veteran stars go before or during the season, including trades of Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suarez and Luis Castillo, and letting Nick Castellanos leave in free agency. It's no wonder then, that the team dropped from 2nd in batting average in 2021 to 11th this season at .235, or from 3rd in slugging percentage to 13th (.372). 

But despite not having the same talent at the major league level, it's the coaches who will now take the fall. Reds followers are not sure they agree with the moves. 


Photo: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK