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The Pittsburgh Pirates made a change at the helm on Thursday, relieving Derek Shelton of his managerial duties more than a month into a chaotic season.
The Pirates fell to 12-26 following a one-run loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. The front office decided to make a move.
“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.”
Pirates bench coach Don Kelly was named as Shelton’s replacement.
“Derek is a good man who did a lot for the Pirates and Pittsburgh, but it was time for a change,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said. “The first quarter of the season has been frustrating and painful for all of us. We have to do better. I know that. Ben knows that. Our coaches know that. Our players know that.
“There is a lot of baseball left to be played. We need to act with a sense of urgency and take the steps necessary to fix this now to get back on track as a team and organization.”
PIRATES FAN SPEAKS FOR 1ST TIME SINCE HORRIFYING FALL OVER WALL AT PNC PARK
Shelton took over as manager in 2020. He was 306-440 and never won more than 76 games.
It’s been a rocky year from the jump for the Pirates.
The organization took a ton of flak for removing a tribute to Roberto Clemente in right field early last month. The team was thrust back into the spotlight when a fan fell from the right field seats onto the warning track last week.
The organization then disciplined a worker who got into a fight with an instigator before a game. A video of that altercation surfaced earlier this week.
The season is still in its infancy and the Pirates have the players to turn the year around.
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