Astros Lose Coach Jason Bell to Red Sox, Per Report

Update, Oct. 28, 1:24 PM CT: Tim Healey of the Boston Globe reports the Red Sox are bringing on Jason Bell as the outfield instructor on the major league staff, with a source saying they are "still sorting through the exact responsibilities." Chandler Rome of The Athletic had written minutes earlier that Bell's "exact title on Boston's staff is still being finalized."

In a Boston Globe story, Tim Healey wrote that the Red Sox have at least two openings under manager Chad Tracy — first base coach and third base coach — and that among Bell's pupils in Houston was Wilyer Abreu, whom Boston acquired from the Astros in August 2022. Healey wrote that Bell spent the past three seasons on Houston's big league staff, two as the field coordinator and one as the quality control coach.

Jason Bell is leaving the Houston Astros to join the Boston Red Sox' major league staff, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported Wednesday on X.

McTaggart posted at 12:48 p.m. CT that Bell, "who served last year as the Astros' Major League field coordinator and outfield coach and had spent a decade with the organization, is leaving the club to join the Major League staff with the Boston Red Sox."

Chandler Rome of The Athletic confirmed the move at 12:53 p.m. CT, writing that the Red Sox are hiring Astros quality control coach Jason Bell onto their major-league coaching staff, sources told The Athletic. Rome credited McTaggart with the first report. Rome described Bell as a quality control coach, while McTaggart listed him as Major League field coordinator and outfield coach. In a follow-up at 12:56 p.m. CT, Rome wrote that Bell's "exact title on Boston's staff is still being finalized," adding that Bell "has worked for the Astros for the past decade and, in the last couple years, been very coveted by other teams." Tim Healey of the Boston Globe later reported Bell would serve as outfield instructor on the major league staff while the club sorted through exact responsibilities.

An Astros press release announcing the 2025 coaching staff said Bell, then moving from quality assurance coach to Major League field coordinator/outfield coach, would be in his second season on the major league staff and his ninth overall in the organization. Houston's 2026 coaching staff announcement listed him as quality assurance coach.

MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams wrote that when the Astros parted with manager Joe Espada, the club indicated Bell was one of four coaches who would be retained, alongside pitching coach Josh Miller, hitting coach Victor Rodriguez and first base coach Dave Clark. Adams wrote that Bell, 36, joined the organization as a development coach in 2017. In a follow-up quoting his earlier Bell report, McTaggart listed other coaches not returning next year, as previously announced: Tim Cossins (catching), Tommy Kawamura (game plan coach), Tony Perezchica (3B coach), Anthony Iapoce (assistant hitting) and Ethan Katz (assistant pitching).

Bell is the second Astros coach reported to be leaving in two days. On Tuesday, Rome reported that Triple-A pitching coach Sean Buchanan was leaving for the Pittsburgh Pirates; Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette later said Buchanan would work in the Pirates' upper minors.

Around the MLB

• Hideki Matsui named manager of the Yomiuri Giants. MLB.com reported Oct. 23 that the former Yankees outfielder and 2009 World Series MVP has been introduced as manager of Nippon Professional Baseball's Yomiuri Giants. The Asahi Shimbun reported he signed a three-year contract and will wear No. 90. He succeeds interim manager Hideki Hashigami; Shinnosuke Abe resigned in May.

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