Don Kelly being put in impossible spot with Pirates bullpen has caused misdirected anger

When it comes to the Pittsburgh Pirates' bullpen, there's almost nothing left to say.

Everyone knows it's the biggest weakness on the roster. Everyone knows it has cost the Pirates multiple games. Everyone knows it has become the primary obstacle standing between this team and legitimate playoff contention.

Yet after every late-inning collapse, the frustration continues to be directed toward manager Don Kelly. At this point, that anger feels increasingly misplaced.

Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Miami Marlins was the latest example. Trailing 2-1 entering the eighth inning, Kelly handed the ball to rookie reliever Brandan Bidois. Four consecutive singles later, the Marlins had extended their lead and the Pirates were on their way to another frustrating defeat.

On the surface, it looked like another questionable bullpen decision. In reality, it highlighted the impossible situation Kelly is facing.

Who exactly was he supposed to use?

Don Kelly doesn't deserve all the blame for Pirates' bullpen woes

The criticism of Kelly would carry more weight if there were obvious alternatives sitting in the bullpen. But there usually aren't.

Gregory Soto has been excellent and has earned trust in the ninth inning. Beyond him, every option in the Pirates' bullpen comes with significant concerns.

Wilber Dotel had already suffered two disastrous outings in high-leverage spots before landing on the injured list. Mason Montgomery has been inconsistent. Dennis Santana has been unreliable in leverage spots. Justin Lawrence was designated for assignment. Carmen Mlodzinski has been moved between the rotation and bullpen. The Pirates have cycled through internal options for months searching for answers and have found very few.

Kelly isn't managing from a position of strength. That's what makes this situation different from the Pirates' offensive struggles a year ago. In 2025, the lineup was so bad that it doomed the season almost from Opening Day. This year's team is better. The offense has more talent, and the rotation remains one of the club's biggest strengths. Even with injuries to key players and recent slumps from several regulars, the Pirates have remained in the playoff conversation.

The bullpen is the one area that continually drags everything else down.

Good teams survive rough stretches because another part of the roster compensates. When the offense struggles, the pitching staff picks it up. When starters falter, relievers lock games down. But the Pirates don't have that luxury right now. Every close game feels like an adventure after the sixth inning, and no lead ever feels safe.

Kelly deserves criticism when he makes mistakes. Every manager does, especially in the infancy of their managerial careers. But blaming him for the bullpen's shortcomings ignores the larger issue.

Ben Cherington and the front office improved the offense over the winter because they recognized a glaring weakness and aggressively addressed it. The bullpen now demands that same level of urgency.

The internal options have long been exhausted. Trades are admittedly difficult in June, but the Pirates have reached the point where standing pat is costing them more than overpaying ever would. If they genuinely believe they can contend, bullpen help can no longer wait.

Right now, Kelly is being asked to win games with options that simply aren't good enough. He inherited that problem, but only Cherington can fix it.

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