In what could be described as a sea change at the helm of the Pittsburgh Pirates, bench coach and former Detroit Tiger Don Kelly has been tapped to steer the ship as the club's new manager. This decision comes hard on the heels of the Pirates giving Derek Shelton the boot after a less-than-stellar start to the season, leaving Pittsburgh languishing at the bottom of the NL Central with a 12-26 record. According to The Detroit News, General Manager Ben Cherington expressed his belief that a change was essential at this juncture, despite acknowledging Shelton's hard work and sacrifices over the past five-plus years.
Having made a mark as a respected figure within the organization, Pirates owner Bob Nutting embraced Kelly's transition to manager, who extolled his deep commitment to the team and the city. The Pittsburgh native, who played from 2009-14 with the Tigers and is remembered for a playoff home run against the Yankees, faces a challenge to jumpstart a Pirates offense floundering. Their current struggle with scoring is illustrated by hitting nearly the bottom of the majors in runs, OPS, home runs, and average, where the Pirates have scored a mere five runs across their last five games.
Taking cues from his storied past, Kelly is not new to the kind of leadership and dedication required for his fresh role. His former coaches at Point Park University recall his considerable respectability even as a freshman, with a special character that set him apart early on. "Donnie comes in as a freshman and immediately not only was accepted but was probably the most respected player on the team because of his character," Mark Jackson, Kelly's former coach, stated, as per TribLive. On his appointment, Cherington avoided the term "interim," focusing on 2025 and Kelly's potential positive impact on the team.
