[citation needed] Despite the last-place finish, Cincinnati brought back manager Bid McPhee to lead the club.
The losses continued to pile up, and after a 27–37 start to the year, the Reds fired manager Bid McPhee, and replaced him with Frank Bancroft on an interim basis.
Cincinnati also began to make numerous player changes, as John Dobbs was sent to the Chicago Orphans for cash, and Erve Beck was released by the team.
The Reds signed free agent Cy Seymour, who had been released by the Orioles after hitting .268 with three home runs and 41 RBI in 72 games with them.
The Reds played better under Bancroft, as they went 9–7 when he was the manager, before the team named Joe Kelley as player-manager for the remainder of the season.