PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Pirates have quickly fallen back to last place in the NL Central after 10 consecutive losses, likely forcing the organization to consider changing its manager after the season.
Christopher Kline of FanSided suggested the Pirates do just that by firing Derek Shelton after he led the club for five years, explaining that a new voice in the locker room was needed after their dismal record entering August.
“Shelton hasn’t done enough with his spares,” Kline wrote. “The Pirates had a real chance to break through this season and fell apart when things got serious. The month of August was a true display of incompetence from top to bottom. The Pirates, with their season on the line, look both listless and out of balance. Something has to change internally, in the dressing room.”
In his first year under Shelton in 2020, Pittsburgh finished with an MLB-worst record of 19-41 before posting a 61-101 record in 2021. The Pirates followed that up with a 62-100 record in 2022, though the club offered just a glimmer of hope that the tide is finally turning by improving to 76-86 in 2023.
With some positive momentum on their side for the first time in over half a decade, the 2024 season had a chance to represent a true turning point for Shelton and the Bucs. In a division where everything was truly on the line and a roster that was set to receive an influx of talent from a loaded farm system, all the stars aligned for the team’s first foray into the postseason since 2015.
The Pirates remained around .500 to start the year and were just three games out of a wild card spot in July. An 8-2 run in the middle of the month catapulted Pittsburgh to 54-52 on trade deadline day, when they decided to supplement their faltering offense by signing Bryan De La Cruz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. With an improved lineup and a dominant starting rotation in tow, the Pirates were suddenly perceived as something of a sleeping giant in the National League.
But when the calendar turned to August, it all came crashing down, as Pittsburgh currently has a 56-64 record and no tangible chance of playing for a ninth consecutive season in October. The blame shouldn’t be placed entirely on Shelton, as the Pirates lack sufficient salary resources and a front office in trouble at almost every turn.
Still, Shelton’s bullpen management has drawn the ire of many, and it’s possible that his management style simply doesn’t mesh with the team. Whatever the case, the Pirates can’t simply continue with their current organizational structure after making minimal progress during Shelton’s tenure, meaning he could be fired as a result.
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