MLB Breaking News: The First Manager Firing of the Season

Well on their way to a seventh consecutive season with a losing record despite a couple of the most exciting and promising players in baseball, the under-spending and under-performing Pittsburgh Pirates have finally decided to move on from manager Derek Shelton.

Pirates relieve Derek Shelton of duties as manager. Pittsburgh bench coach Don Kelly has been named manager. pic.twitter.com/5r0uHjPB99
— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2025

Bench coach Don Kelly has been named manager in Shelton's place.

The Bucos have started the season at 12-26, the only team in the NL Central Division without at least a .500 record heading into Thursday's action.

Last season, they won 76 games for the second straight year following a couple of 100-loss seasons in Shelton's first two full years at the helm. Overall, in parts of six seasons as the Pirates manager, Shelton posted a 306-440 record for a .410 winning percentage.

The Pirates have always been near the bottom of the majors in payroll, which certainly didn't help Shelton's chances. But they came into 2025 with some hope, on the backs of ace Paul Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, and Oneil Cruz, the rising, multi-talented star on offense. But they've taken a huge step back.

Calling the first part of the season "frustrating and painful for all of us," owner Bob Nutting said the team now needs to "act with a sense of urgency and take the steps necessary to fix this now to get back on track as a team and organization."

As for Kelly, he is a Pittsburgh native, and has been the bench coach since 2020.

"Donnie is as respected as any person in our clubhouse and throughout our organization," Nutting said. "He is a Pirate. He bleeds black and gold. No one is more committed, and no one loves this team or city more than Donnie. He is the right person to manage our team and help get us back on track."

The Pirates' last time in the postseason was 10 years ago, which is the second-longest active streak behind only the Los Angeles Angels, and just ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays.