Royals Select Bell as New Manager

Buddy Bell was hired as manager of the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, taking over the team with the worst record in the majors.

Bell, a five-time All-Star third baseman, was bench coach with the Cleveland Indians. He takes over a struggling franchise that hasn’t made the postseason since winning the 1985 World Series and is on pace to have one of the worst seasons in modern baseball history.

Bell took over the team Tuesday night when the Royals played host to the New York Yankees.

“It’s going to take some time to figure this out,” Bell said in a news conference at Kauffman Stadium before the game. “Right now we are looking for small victories.”

The Royals’ 13-37 record after 50 games is the same as the 1962 New York Mets, who lost a major league-record 120 games, and the 2003 Tigers, who lost 119.

Bell, 53, managed at Detroit from 1996 to ’98 and Colorado from 2000 to ‘02, compiling a record of 345-462.

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New York Yankee right-hander Paul Quantrill was suspended for three games, and Manager Joe Torre was given a one-game ban after the reliever threw at Detroit’s Jason Smith last week.

Quantrill decided not to appeal his suspension and started serving it Tuesday night in Kansas City. Torre also sat out the series opener against the Royals.

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Outfielder Raul Mondesi was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves, a move that could signal the end of his major league career.

The Braves cleared roster space to activate left-hander Mike Hampton from the disabled list so he could start Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Nationals.

Atlanta has 10 days to trade Mondesi, put him on waivers or send him outright to the minors, if he consents. The team doesn’t expect Mondesi to agree to that.

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Unable to trade Danny Graves, the Cincinnati Reds took the next step in severing ties with their closer, asking for unconditional release waivers.

The move came eight days after Graves was designated for assignment, ending his eight-year career in Cincinnati. If Graves isn’t claimed by another team during the 48-hour waiver period, he would become a free agent.

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Washington National right-hander Zach Day was put on the 15-day disabled list after an MRI showed he had a broken right wrist.... Detroit Tiger first baseman Carlos Pena was optioned to triple-A Toledo and replaced on the roster by Chris Shelton.... Shortstop Stephen Drew, Arizona’s top draft pick last year and the younger brother of Dodger outfielder J.D. Drew, has been assigned to Lancaster of the Class-A California League after signing a five-year, $5.5-million contract just minutes before the Diamondbacks would have lost his rights Monday night.