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The news that the Pittsburgh Pirates were firing Derek Shelton caught Pirates fans by storm on Thursday. It wasn't necessarily that no one thought it wasn't warranted, as the Pirates have been awful and Shelton has clearly not helped this team whatsoever. Still, it was jarring to see the team act so decisively this early in the season.
Focus is quickly turning to Shelton's replacement, Don Kelly, and what Pirates fans can expect to see change under his leadership.
While the specifics of his forthcoming overhaul have yet to be seen, owner Bob Nutting gave his unqualified support for Kelly as manager, and fans should be pretty pumped for the change.
Pirates owner Bob Nutting on Pittsburgh native Don Kelly becoming new manager: “Donnie is as respected as any person in our clubhouse and throughout our organization. He is a Pirate. He bleeds black and gold. No one is more committed, and no one loves this team or city more…
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 8, 2025
Bob Nutting just gave an incredibly strong endorsement (for him) for Don Kelly as Pirates' new manager
Now the irony that Nutting, who is the real reason why the Pirates can't field a roster that can compete, is the one that is talking about needing to act with urgency and claiming this move will massively move the needle is not lost on us. While this is sort of like the guy in the Hot Dog suit asking who's responsible for the crashed Hot Dog car, it doesn't necessarily mean that Nutting is wrong here.
The Pirates should be better than they are right now, and what Shelton was doing definitely wasn't working. In Kelly, the Pirates are getting a guy who is extremely respected across the league, who seemingly commands the respect of the clubhouse, and who has deep connections to the city of Pittsburgh. There are no guarantees with any managerial move, but this feels like a move in the right direction.
For Pirates fans, real change for the better isn't going to happen unless Nutting sells the team or the league puts a limit on his madness and forces him to spend more on the roster. However, this is a team with a number of young players who are talented. If Kelly can get even a little bit more out of those guys and help them develop as big leaguers, this move will be worth it.