In the off season before Opening Day in 1924 Roush signed a three-year $19,000 contract. During spring training, manager Pat Moran fell ill on the train ride to their training facilities in Florida, and on March 7, 1924, he died. In April Roush strained his side when he swung and missed at a pitch and was sidelined for eight games and would again be sidelined for nine games after he strained a muscle in his leg in St. Louis. Roush would finish the year with a .348 average and led the league with 21 triples. Roush became team captain of the Reds in 1925 and led the team to a third-place finish, a disappointing end to the season as the Reds led the league in ERA for the third year in a row.