Don Kelly’s second ejection in three days says plenty about Pirates’ edge

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly is not exactly Bobby Cox yet, but he is starting to build quite the ejection résumé.

Kelly was tossed for the second time in three games Monday afternoon during the Pirates’ 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park, and this one came with a very clear message: he is going to defend his players, even if Major League Baseball’s replay rules make the outcome automatic.

The moment came in the bottom of the second inning, when Konnor Griffin faced an up-and-in fastball from Cubs starter Ben Brown. Griffin immediately reacted as though the pitch had clipped him, removed his protective equipment and started toward first base. Home-plate umpire Mark Ripperger ruled otherwise, calling it a ball instead of a hit-by-pitch.

Replay appeared to show the pitch grazing the brim of Griffin’s helmet and changing direction. Kelly challenged, but the call stood. He then came out to argue with crew chief Dan Bellino and was immediately ejected.

By rule, managers are not allowed to argue replay decisions, and entering the field after a review warrants an automatic ejection. Still, Kelly clearly felt the point was worth making.

“Seeing the replay, [I] felt like it definitely grazed his helmet,” Kelly said after the game. “You got a kid in Konnor Griffin that is not going to lie. There is no way that Konnor Griffin is going to lie about that.”

In other words, this wasn't performative anger for the sake of firing up a crowd. It was a manager making it clear that if one of his players says he got hit, especially a rookie with Griffin’s reputation, Kelly is going to believe him.

Pirates fans should love the fire they're seeing out of Don Kelly right now

Kelly was also ejected Saturday in Toronto after arguing multiple check-swing calls, making Monday's incident his second ejection in three games. The last Pirates manager to be tossed multiple times in such a short span was Clint Hurdle in 2017.

Kelly may not be chasing Cox’s all-time record, but he is quickly showing Pirates fans something important: he has no problem getting thrown out if he thinks his players were wronged.

Kelly has started to manage with a little more visible fire of late, and the Pirates clubhouse appears to be taking on that same personality. Arguing a replay review was always going to get him tossed, but that almost seemed beside the point. Kelly believed Griffin, believed the Pirates had been wronged, and made sure everyone knew it.

The Pirates have played plenty of tight, emotional games already this season, and Kelly’s willingness to get ejected twice in three games shows he is not managing passively. He is protecting his players, challenging the tone of games, and giving Pittsburgh a little more bite.

For years, Pirates fans have wanted to see more urgency from the dugout. Kelly is giving them that. His latest ejection was not just about one missed hit-by-pitch call. It was another sign that this team is developing an edge — and its manager is helping set it.

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