The Pittsburgh Pirates made a change at manager on Thursday, firing Derek Shelton less than two months into 2025 season in which the Pirates have the third worst record in all of Major League Baseball.
The Pirates fell to 12-26 following a one-run loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. The front office decided to make a move.
“Derek worked incredibly hard and sacrificed a lot over five-plus years. His family became a big part of the Pirates family, and we will miss that,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said in a statement. “He’s an incredibly smart, curious and driven baseball leader. I believe he was the right person for the job when he was hired. I also believe that a change is now necessary. I wish Derek and his family all the best in their next chapter.”
Shelton was hired as manager in 2020. He was 306-440 and never won more than 76 games in a season.
Pirates bench coach Don Kelly was named as Shelton’s replacement. Kelly, a native of Butler, was named the Pittsburgh Pirates bench coach on December 7, 2019.
