Derek Shelton Fired as Pirates Manager amid 12-26 Start to 2025 MLB Season

The Pittsburgh Pirates already appear to be on their way to missing the playoffs for the 10th straight year, so they decided it was time for a change.

The Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton on Thursday following their 12-26 start to the 2025 campaign. They promoted bench coach Don Kelly to replace him as manager.

"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."

The Pirates hired Shelton as their manager before the 2020 season and gave him a contract extension in 2023. They never finished with a record above .500 or better than fourth place in the NL Central under his direction. He ends his tenure with a 306-440 record in five-plus seasons in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates' losing streak extended to seven straight games with Wednesday's 5-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The team ranks 27th in MLB with a collective .219 batting average and is tied for 28th with only 26 total home runs.

Kelly has acted as Pittsburgh's bench coach for the entirety of Shelton's tenure. He previously served as first base coach for the Houston Astros in 2019. He also played in MLB as an outfielder and third baseman from 2007 to 2016, suiting up for the Pirates, Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins.

"I believe strongly Donnie is the right person to manage the team right now," Cherington said. "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."