Donnie Ball is sticking around in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Monday that they would be extending the contract of manager Don Kelly.
Kelly made his managerial debut on May 9 vs the Atlanta Braves. Kelly replaced Derek Shelton who was fired on May 8 following a 12-26 start to the 2025 season. Kelly now being appointed as the Pirates’ manager for the future makes him the 42nd skipper in franchise history.
Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting released a statement regarding the decision to keep Kelly on as the club’s manager.
“Donnie has earned the respect of the players, front office, and our fans – and he has certainly earned mine,” said Nutting. “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.”
Kelly had his share of ups and downs throughout the season, but some of the highs were hard to ignore. Under his leadership the club went 37-25 at home which was the ninth best mark in baseball. The team also swept seven series, notably sweeping the Dodgers and Phillies respectively. The Pirates also finished the season with the sixth best fielding percentage (.988) since May 9 and also had the fourth lowest team ERA in that span (3.59).
A Pittsburgh native himself, Kelly expressed his excitement to continue coaching the Pirates.
“I’m proud to continue leading the Pirates,” said Kelly. “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.”
Though there is some promising hope with “Donnie Ball” there were certainly some late season shifts in performance and public opinion. Following the All-Star break the Pirates went 32-33, and showed constant struggles on the road. There was for a portion of the season a real positive energy with Kelly at the helm, from the locker room to the fan experience. Many were very high on the idea of Kelly being the full-time manager moving forward with a 92% approval rating back in July and early August. SB Nation reacts just conducted a poll where fans only showed a 67% approval rating for him returning to the club.
The Pirates went 71-91 this season, finishing last in the National League Central for the second consecutive season and once again missed out on the postseason. The club has had 29 losing seasons in the last 33 years, and have not won a World Series title since 1979. Overall with Kelly there certainly was improvement, who went 59-65 in his first campaign as a major league manager.
With that being said, it is clear that this team is still short of some pieces that will make it a contender. While they are projected to have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball next season the offense still needs serious work, and trotting out Tommy Pham and Andrew McCutchen is not going to get this team the runs they need to compete. The Pirates ranked last in the majors in runs, home runs and OPS.
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Category: General Sports
