TORONTO -- Just under 13 months ago, on July 28, 2023, David Bell signed a three-year contract extension to remain as Reds manager. It came amid high optimism as the club's young players accelerated a rebuilding schedule to become surprise contenders for the playoffs before falling two games short in the standings.

In 2024, Cincinnati is already trending toward being out of contention after entering the season with high expectations to reach the postseason. Even after winning two of three games in the just completed series vs. the Blue Jays, the Reds entered Thursday with a 62-65 record and are 5 1/2 games back of the final National League Card spot.

FanGraphs gives the Reds a 1.4% chance of making the playoffs.

"I feel it’s my responsibility. Our results are my responsibility," Bell said before an 11-7 come-from-behind win. "So it’s important for me to recommit every day to doing what I believe in to get us -- to do my part to get us -- where we’re going as fast as we can.

"We can talk about the results in five or six weeks. I still feel like there’s a lot left, and I’m going to continue to help us work toward that."

The Reds have been bedeviled by injuries to key players throughout the season, beginning with second baseman Matt McLain needing left shoulder surgery after being hurt in Spring Training. The injured list includes first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who broke his hand in April and didn't play after the first week of May. Center fielder TJ Friedl has had three stints on the IL. Most recently, starting pitcher Hunter Greene went on the IL on Saturday with a sore right elbow.

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Still, the Reds have underperformed. Offensively, they rank last in the NL with a .231 batting average. Overaggressive baserunning has often created unnecessary outs -- including on Wednesday, when Elly De La Cruz was thrown out trying for a double in the fourth inning when Cincinnati trailed by six runs.

Defensive mistakes -- both errors and plays not always visible in box scores -- often create extra outs for pitchers and hurt the team's chances to win.

Because of their mostly solid pitching, the Reds are the rare under-.500 club with a positive run differential (+30). They are 10-21 in one-run games and have been shut out 10 times.

Cincinnati's expected won/loss record is 67-60 -- another sign of underperformance.

"That’s the great thing about the game," Bell said. "There’s everyday feedback. It is all about the results in the end. But we’re doing things -- I’m doing things, our players are doing things -- that I’m 100% convicted in and believe is going to get us there. So that’s my focus every day. That’s it."

Making the season particularly confounding is that many good things have also happened. De La Cruz was named an All-Star, and on Wednesday, he became only the fifth player since 1900 to reach 20 homers and 60 steals. Greene broke out in his third season to become an All-Star and ace.

There are 35 games left in the season, beginning with Thursday against the Pirates.

"First of all, it’s not over. We’re working toward something great. We’re not there today," said Bell, who has been the club's skipper since 2019.

Bell indicated that he still had the support of Reds ownership and the front office.

“I feel like there’s endless collaboration on working toward getting better every day. Decisions or conversations or communication, it’s never-ending. It’s constant," he said. "Whether it’s our staff or the front office. Maybe there’s a message in that, I don’t know. As far as feedback, that’s been my experience. Being all in on getting better every day.”

One reason for fan frustration is the Reds have not won a playoff series since 1995. The team's last division title came in 2012. Bell's only playoff club came as a Wild Card entry in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Cincinnati was swept by the Braves in two games and did not score a run.

"I really appreciate fans that care about our team and care about baseball enough to have an opinion, whether it’s supportive, frustration or whatever," Bell said. "I hear from a lot of our supportive fans, and I appreciate them. I don’t not appreciate the others, because I do, I truly do.

"I’ve been around this game my whole life as a player and everything. I’ve seen it all. I’ve never had a problem with that. I appreciate it. But I don’t want to forget about the fans who are very positive and supportive that I see every day and I interact, with because they deserve to be pointed out as well.”