Reds manager David Bell was outsmarted vs. Rays and it may ultimately cost him his job

It seems as if every time the Cincinnati Reds underperform, fans want to blame manager David Bell for the team's poor play. However, more times than not, it comes down to execution, not necessary managerial decision-making.

Managers are oftentimes given too much blame when things go wrong, and not enough credit when things go right. Such is the job of a major league skipper.

But during Sunday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, Bell was out-managed by Kevin Cash. Bell's mistakes in that game were so egregious, that it may ultimately cost him his job at season's end.

Why did Reds manager David Bell sit Will Benson & Jake Fraley until the 9th inning?

Reports emerged before Sunday's game that the Rays were going start right-hander Shawn Armstrong as the opener and then hand over the reins to left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson to work the bulk of the game in relief.

Bell, in typically fashion, decided he would play the percentages and went with starting lineup that included right-handed hitting outfielders Stuart Fairchild and Austin Slater in the bottom of the batting order. Pretty smart, right?

As it turns out, Cash didn't follow that same script that was reported and essentially played Bell for a fool. Rather than trot Alexander out in the second or third inning, Cash sent a stream of right-handed relievers beginning with Edwin Uceta in the third, Manuel Rodríguez in the fifth, and Tyler Zuber in the seventh. Cash didn't send a lefty onto the hill under Garrett Cleavinger came in during the eighth inning, and Alexander never foot on the diamond.

But Bell kept both left-handed hitting outfielders (Will Benson and Jake Fraley) out of the lineup until the ninth inning when Rays' closer Pete Fairbanks was on the hill. Though Fraley came up with a timely single while Cincinnati was down by one run, Benson was overmatched and predictably struck out.

Bell foolishly believed the reporting, and rather than manage the game in front of him, he tried to get too cute and outsmart the Rays' skipper. But Cash was playing chess while Bell was playing checkers.

Reds manager David Bell should have brought in Sam Moll or Justin Wilson

Perhaps just as bad was Bell turning to Lucas Sims with the bases loaded in a tie ball game during the eighth inning. Only Alexis Díaz has a higher walk rate than Sims among Reds' relievers this season. With Richie Palacios — who's a left-handed hitter — stepping into the batters' box, why didn't Bell turn to Sam Moll or Justin Wilson. Both pitchers are left-handed, neither pitched on Saturday (so rest was not a factor), and both have a walk-rate of 6.5% or less.

Bell was outsmarted by a better manager on Sunday, and the Reds now sit five games back in the NL Wild Card race. If Nick Krall and Reds' front office decide to become sellers at the MLB trade deadline, Bell's job may be in serious jeopardy once the season comes to a close.

The Reds are not bold enough to move on from Bell in the middle of the season, but this is a game that certainly merits that type of consideration. It's hard to see Bell coming back in 2025 if things don't turn around over the final two months.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors