The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Derek Shelton following a 12-26 start to the 2025 MLB season and are currently on a 7-game losing streak, 10 games back of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
Shelton had been hired as the Bucs skipper prior to the COVID shortened 2020 season. After a 19-41 record in 2020, the Pirates had back-to-back 100 loss seasons in 2021 and 2022. Things appeared to have taken a step in the right direction in 2023 when the Bucs improved by 14 games to a 76-86 record. They would have the same record last year. The Pirates were 306-440 during Shelton's tenure.
Shelton is being succeeded by the team's bench coach, Don Kelly who has served alongside Shelton during his entire tenure. Kelly, who spent 10 seasons in MLB as a utility player with the Pirates, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins, was viewed as a manager material. Following a stint as a scout with the Tigers organization, Kelly became the first base coach for the AL champion Houston Astros in 2019 before joining the Bucs.
I'm not sure how much difference Kelly will make. Don't get me wrong. He has his defenders. The Pirates are very thin right now. They do have a bonafide ace in Paul Skenes while O'Neil Cruz leads the NL in stolen bases with 15. But Andrew McCutchen is a decade past his prime and most on the roster will never know the heights of McCutchen's past success. Pirates owner Bob Nutting is skimpy with spending and it shows.
Sadly, the Pirates 2025 season will probably be best remembered for a fan falling out of the stands. Fortunately, he survived the fall, but his recovery will be long. The Pirates' recovery might very well be longer.
With that said, Kelly will make his managerial debut tomorrow night as the Pirates host the Atlanta Braves for a three game weekend series.
No comments:
Post a Comment