The Pirates announced Monday morning that manager Don Kelly has been signed to a contract extension. He was named manager back in May, after the team fired Derek Shelton, but there was never any commitment beyond the current season (despite Kelly not having an “interim” label included in his title). Today’s announcement makes it official that he’ll continue managing the team beyond the current season. Pittsburgh did not specify the length of Kelly’s new contract.
“Donnie has earned the respect of the players, front office, and our fans –- and he has certainly earned mine,” chairman/majority owner Bob Nutting said in this morning’s press release. “Donnie took over the team at a true low point. Since then, we’ve seen meaningful progress, not just in the clubhouse culture, but on the field. His connection to the community and passion for the franchise make him more than just a manager. He is a Pittsburgher; he is part of our community. He’s the right fit, at the right time, and is the right person to lead us forward.”
“I’m proud to continue leading the Pirates,” said Kelly himself in the press release. “Our clubhouse is full of players who care deeply about each other, about winning, and about representing Pittsburgh the right way. I was a Pirates fan first. I know our fans deserve a team that delivers on the field, and it’s on me to make sure we reach that standard.”
“Donnie is an elite communicator. He is deeply trusted by our players because he’s credible, consistent, and unafraid of tough conversations,” said general manager Ben Cherington in the press release. “His background as both a scout and a coach gives him a rare perspective: patience when it’s needed, and an unwavering belief in players’ ability to improve. Above all, he values people and winning. His ability to adjust, lead, and do the hard work makes him the right leader.”
The Pirates have been mired in mediocrity for a long time now. They last made the postseason in 2015. They have only finished above .500 once since then, which was back in 2018. They lost at least 100 games in 2021 and 2022. They showed a bit of promise in 2023 and 2024, flirting with contention at times, but finished both of those seasons with 76 wins.
Ideally, they would have taken another step forward in 2025, but they got out to an awful start. They were 12-26 when Shelton was fired in May. Kelly took over from there and the club fared better the rest of the way, though their 59-65 record under the new skipper was still subpar.
Going into 2026, there will be pressure for the club to finally get to another level. The Bucs have graduated a large number of pitching prospects to the majors. That’s obviously a good thing but it’s also a bit of a ticking clock. They have four remaining years with Paul Skenes. The Mitch Keller contract runs another three seasons.
In the past, the Bucs have traded some of their most prominent pitchers before they have reached free agency, a consequence of their consistently low payrolls. Pitchers like Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon are a few of the notable examples. As such, it’s common for people in the baseball world to speculate about Skenes being traded before those four years are up. Keller was in plenty of trade rumors this past summer but ultimately stayed put.
On the offensive side, the club has had far less success. They didn’t have a qualified hitter post an above-average season in 2025, by measure of wRC+. Spencer Horwitz did finish the season with a 119 wRC+, though his offseason wrist surgery limited him to just 411 plate appearances. Joey Bart got just over the line with a 101 wRC+ but in just 332 trips to the plate. The team-wide wRC+ came in at 82, behind all MLB teams apart from the Rockies. Improvement will obviously be required there for the club to be a real threat.
As the skipper, Kelly can only work with the players he is given. While the club still lost more games than they won with him at the helm, the organization seems to feel he did a good job regardless. A lot of a manager’s duties occur in the clubhouse, communicating with players on things like preparation, usage, strategy and the like. The Bucs are presumably pleased enough with Kelly’s work in those areas to keep him around as they try to find a new gear in 2026 and beyond.
Photo courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images