The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed manager Don Kelly to a contract extension, the team announced Monday. Contract terms were not disclosed. Kelly replaced former manager Derek Shelton on May 8. The club went 12-26 under Shelton and a more respectable 59-65 under Kelly, who served as the team’s bench coach under Shelton from 2020-24.
“Donnie is an elite communicator. He is deeply trusted by our players because he’s credible, consistent, and unafraid of tough conversations,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said in a statement. “His background as both a scout and a coach gives him a rare perspective: patience when it’s needed, and an unwavering belief in players’ ability to improve. Above all, he values people and winning. His ability to adjust, lead, and do the hard work makes him the right leader.”
Owner Bob Nutting also cited the “meaningful progress, not just in the clubhouse culture, but on the field” after Kelly “took over the team at a true low point.”
Kelly, 45, had long been considered a future manager. He played nine seasons in the big leagues as a utility man from 2007-16 and spent time working as a scout and in player development with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros before joining the Pirates. Kelly’s experience and background gives him strong blend of player, scouting, and analytical perspectives.
How Paul Skenes got even better: MLB’s most dominant ace will win first Cy Young as Pirates fail around him
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“I’m proud to continue leading the Pirates,” Kelly said in a statement. “Our clubhouse is full of players who care deeply about each other, about winning, and about representing Pittsburgh the right way. I was a Pirates fan first. I know our fans deserve a team that delivers on the field, and it’s on me to make sure we reach that standard.”
Led by likely NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, the Pirates allowed the fifth-fewest runs in baseball this season. They were undone by one of the worst offenses in the sport. They hit only 117 home runs, 31 fewer than any other team, and ranked 28th in batting average (.231) and 24th in on-base percentage (.305).
Pittsburgh has missed the postseason each of the last 10 years. The manager is not the problem. Poor hitter development and a lack of financial investment from ownership are holding back a franchise that otherwise has a strong pitching staff, a beautiful ballpark, and a dedicated fan base.
The Pirates played much better under Kelly and in particular looked more buttoned-up defensively and on the bases. All indications are he is a quality MLB manager. But unless the front office and ownership pull their weight, the Pirates risk wasting Kelly and Skenes.
This news was originally published on this post .
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