Reds' top target to replace David Bell now available, but more suitors could emerge

Skip Schumaker is officially a free agent. The Miami Marlins manager will miss the final two games of the season due to a health issue in his family, and bench coach Luis Ureta will be at the helm for the final two games of the season.

Schumaker reworked his contract this past offseason after Marlins' GM Kim Ng was dismissed. Rather that stay in South Beach through 2025, Schumaker now becomes the hottest name on the open market this winter.

Miami's 100 losses under Schumaker this season has not dissuaded Cincinnati from making the 44-year-old one of their top targets as they search for David Bell's replacement. As soon as Bell was relieved of his duties last Sunday, Schumaker emerged as the Reds' top candidate.

The Reds won't be the only team linked to Skip Schumaker this offseason

The Reds may have been the first team linked to Schumaker, but they won't be the last. The Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners are without a permanent skipper after both Pedro Grifol and Scott Servais were fired earlier this season.

There are whispers that the St. Louis Cardinals could part ways with Oliver Marmol this offseason, and one has to believe that both the Colorado Rockies and Toronto Blue Jays could be looking for a change at the top as well.

Schumaker has some accolades attached to his resumé having won a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011 and being named NL Manager of the Year in 2023 after taking the Marlins to the MLB Playoffs during his first season in Miami.

The Reds certainly present Schumaker with an outstanding opportunity. While Cincinnati fell short of their goals this season, having players like Elly De La Cruz, Hunter Greene, and Matt McLain under team control for the next several seasons will undoubtedly be appealing to Schumaker, and any other candidates the the Reds decide to interview in the coming weeks.

Look for more names to emerge next week. David Ross and Barry Larkin have been mentioned, and there is a large contingent of Reds fans who'd love to see Terry Francona return to the dugout. Stay tuned, Reds Country. It's going to be a busy offseason in the Queen City.

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