The Pittsburgh Pirates are moving on from manager Derek Shelton after six seasons at the helm. The team fired Shelton on Thursday after the Pirates got out to a 12-26 start to open the 2025 MLB season, it announced.
The team announced Shelton’s firing in a statement. General manager Ben Cherington thanked Shelton for his time in the organization, calling him a “smart, curious and driven baseball leader.”
“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,” said Pirates general manger Ben Cherington. “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.”
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Team owner Bob Nutting echoed that sentiment, but added that the team “has to do better.”
Pirates bench coach Don Kelly will take over as the team’s manager following Shelton’s firing.
Shelton was hired by the team ahead of the 2020 MLB season. Prior to his firing, the Pirates were scuffling. After making three straight playoff appearances, Pittsburgh put up a .471 winning percentage between 2016 and 2019. The team finished no higher than third in the NL Central over that period.
After finishing in last place in the division in 2019, the Pirates fired Clint Hurdle and hired Shelton.
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The Pirates finished with an MLB-worst 19 wins during the shortened COVID-19 season in 2020. The team failed to progress under Shelton, finishing no higher than fourth in the division in Shelton’s first five seasons at the helm. The team sat in last place in the NL Central when Shelton was fired Thursday. All told, Shelton complied a 306-440 record with the Pirates, good for a .410 winning percentage.
This story will be updated.
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