David Bell’s Inclusion on the All-Star Game Staff Honors Diamondbacks Former Farm Director

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had an opportunity to add a guest manager to his All-Star Game staff, with his choice being Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell. For Lovullo, it was a “no-brainer” to invite Bell to the All-Star game, given his connections with the Bell family.

“The fans that don’t know about the back story would assume that the Reds were the last team to not make the playoffs, that was certainly in consideration, but this was a little bit deeper,” said Lovullo. “I played with David in the mid-90s, we played in Buffalo. We were teammates, we sat in the same dugout, and I always appreciated the way that he played the game.”

Lovullo’s strong connection with the Bell family spans decades and goes beyond who he shared a dugout with as a player. David’s father, Buddy, served as a mentor in the Cleveland organization as Lovullo transitioned into coaching. Mike Bell, David’s younger brother, served as the Diamondbacks farm director Mike Bell. Bell spent nine seasons leading player development in Arizona, with three overlapping with Lovullo when the latter was hired as the team’s manager after the 2016 season. He left the organization to become Rocco Baldelli’s bench coach with the Minnesota Twins after the 2019 season. He spent one season with the Twins, before getting diagnosed with kidney cancer and ultimately passing away in March 2021.

“Mike ran our player development for a number of years,” said Lovullo. “He has relationships with just about all the young players you’re watching on the baseball field perform at a high level. I just wanted to honor Mike the best way I could. It made so much sense for me personally, and professionally, to ask David to join us.”

“It means so much, but it’s especially meaningful because of Mike,” said David Bell. “Torey and Mike had a close relationship. I know the impact he had on you, the impact you had on them. That’s why this is so meaningful to me. The relationships that Mike had throughout this organization meant so much to him. To be able to do this with Torey, it just means very much to me and my family.”

The 2024 MLB All-Star Game will be played at Globe Life Field, the home ballpark of the Texas Rangers, who defeated the Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series.