The Pittsburgh Pirates’ dismal 12–26 start to the 2025 season demanded a response, and someone had to take the fall. Predictably, it wasn’t going to be the team’s owner. Instead, the blame landed squarely on manager Derek Shelton, who was dismissed after years of leading a team that was never properly equipped to win.
Shelton was not the architect of the team’s flawed roster. He didn’t control spending or decide to lock down the team’s finances through another quiet offseason. Yet, when results cratered, he was the one sacrificed.
Meanwhile, Pirates owner Bob Nutting, who has long resisted meaningful investment in the team, released a statement calling for “urgency.” But that plea rings hollow coming from someone who hasn’t made a significant free-agent signing since Francisco Liriano’s modest $39 million deal in 2014. It raises the question—was this urgency real, or just a PR move to deflect criticism?
Nutting praised Shelton’s character in the team’s official statement, only to pivot quickly to the need for change. It’s a familiar script: the manager takes the hit while ownership avoids accountability. In truth, this isn’t just about one firing—it’s about a culture of minimal ambition.
Pirates owner Bob Nutting says his club needs to demonstrated a “sense of urgency.”
The club’s largest free agency signing in history was the deal with Francisco Liriano (3y/$39m) signed in Nov. 2014 pic.twitter.com/5W21rDlDmx— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) May 8, 2025
Shelton’s tenure included a 306–440 record, with two 100-loss seasons. However, this came with one of MLB’s lowest payrolls—ranking no higher than 26th in the league during any season he managed. Even so, he led the Pirates to two consecutive 76-win seasons, something of an overachievement given the resources he was provided. Shelton didn’t abandon the team; the front office abandoned the idea of building a real contender.
Now stepping in is Don Kelly, a respected bench coach and former player with strong ties to the community. While he brings familiarity and fan support, this isn’t a groundbreaking hire—it’s more of the same under a different name. If Shelton was used as a scapegoat, then Kelly is the temporary solution meant to distract from deeper problems.
The core issue lies not in the dugout, but in the front office. When tracing the Pirates’ continued failure, everything leads back to Bob Nutting. His sudden calls for urgency are difficult to take seriously when the team hasn’t signed a free agent to a meaningful multi-year deal in nearly a decade.
The numbers paint a harsh picture. Under Shelton, the Pirates’ payroll averaged well below league standards—$87.6 million this season compared to a league average of nearly $170 million. Despite making healthy profits from ticket sales and concessions, the team consistently refused to reinvest in the roster. Even last season, when the team hovered near .500 at the trade deadline, management didn’t make aggressive moves to improve. Instead, they played it safe, adding cheaper players like Bryan De La Cruz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa while letting veterans like Martín Pérez walk. The team collapsed soon after.
Even top prospects have been caught in this cycle of underachievement. Pitchers like Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler dominated Triple-A but remained stuck in the minors while the major league rotation faltered. This delay may be linked to fears around service-time manipulation, with ownership reluctant to start the clock on contracts too early—even at the cost of wins.
Some stars have broken through—Skenes, Mitch Keller, and Oneil Cruz among them—but others, like Henry Davis, Nick Gonzales, and Liover Peguero, have struggled. Injuries and inconsistency have played a part, but a lack of investment in depth, coaching, and development systems has magnified the problems.
Ultimately, firing a manager is easy. Restructuring a flawed organizational philosophy requires real change at the top. Until that happens, fans can expect more of the same disappointing cycle: new faces, same results, and the same man in the owner’s box calling the shots.