PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Derek Shelton.
The team made the announcement on social media Thursday afternoon, saying Shelton had been relieved of his duties.
Shelton joined the Pirates in late 2019.
“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 Manager 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.”
Pirates Bench Coach and Pittsburgh native Don Kelly has been named manager.
“I believe strongly Donnie is the right person to manage the team right now,” said Cherington. “He has the skills and experience needed to do this job really well and deeply cares about the Pirates and Pittsburgh. I look forward to working with him even more closely.”
This year is Kelly’s sixth season as the Pirates’ bench coach before being promoted. Before joining the Pirates, he spent the 2019 season as first base coach for the Houston Astros.
“Donnie is as respected as any person in our clubhouse and throughout our organization,” said Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. “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.”
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