The Cincinnati Reds have fired manager Bryan Price Thursday morning after the club got off to a historically bad start of three wins and 15 losses this year.
The 55-year-old Price was in his fifth season of managing the Reds. He was an experienced pitching coach when he was hired to replace fired manager Dusty Baker in October 2013, but had never managed a major league club before.
Reds general manager named Price's bench coach, Jim Riggleman, as the interim manager. Riggleman is an experienced major league manager, having managed the Washington Nationals, the Seattle Mariners, the Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres before joining the Reds.
The Reds have finished in last place in the National League Central Division for the past four years under Price's leadership.
Through Thursday's loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, Price had a record of 278 wins and 382 losses as Reds' manager.
The 3-15 start this year is not only the worst record in Major League Baseball this year, it is the worst by the Reds since 1931.
Unlike his predecessor, Baker, Price never took the Reds to the post-season.
Price's pitching coach, Mack Jenkins, was also fired by General Manager Dick Williams.
Pat Kelly, the manager of the Reds' AAA affiliate, the Louisville Bats, has been named the interim bench coach. Danny Darwin, who is now pitching coach at the Reds' AA affiliate in Pensacola, is the interim pitching coach.
"At this time, we felt a change needed to happen in order to begin the process of getting this team back on the right track,'' Williams said in a written statement. "We realize it is early in the season but feel it is important to be proactive."
The Reds have an off day in St. Louis Thursday before starting a three-game road series with the Arizona Cardinals Friday night. They return to Great American Ball Park Monday night for a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves.
