Could Pirates Manager Be Fired After Losing Streak?
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have swiftly fallen back into the cellar of the NL Central after a ten-game losing streak, likely forcing the organization to consider moving on from its manager after the season.
Christopher Kline of FanSided suggested that the Pirates do just that by firing Derek Shelton after leading the club for five years, stating that a new voice is needed in the locker room following their dismal run to begin August.
"Shelton has not done enough with his spare parts," Kline wrote. "The Pirtates had a real chance to break through this season and fell apart once rubber met the road. The month of August has been a proper display of incompetence from top to bottom. The Pirates, with their season on the line, have appeared both listless and out of whack. Something needs to change internally, inside the locker room."
In its first year under Shelton in 2020, Pittsburgh finished with an MLB-worst 19-41 record before posting a 61-101 record in 2021. The Pirates followed that up by going 62-100 in 2022, though the club provided just a glimmer of hope that the tides were 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 campaign had a chance to represent a true inflection point for Shelton and the Bucs. In a division that truly felt up for grabs and a roster that was set to receive an influx of talent from a loaded farm system, all of the stars were aligned for the team's first postseason push since 2015.
The Pirates hung around .500 throughout the early portion of the year and found themselves just three games out of a Wild Card spot entering July. An 8-2 run during the middle of the month catapulted Pittsburgh to 54-52 on the day of the trade deadline, where they chose to supplement their faltering offense by acquring Bryan De La Cruz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. With an improved lineup and dominant starting rotation in tow, the Pirates suddenly were perceived as somewhat of a sleeping giant in the National League.
It all came crashing down as the calendar flipped to August, however, as Pittsburgh currently owns a 56-64 record with no tangible possibility of playing in October for a ninth-consecutive season. The blame shouldn't fall squarely on Shelton's shoulders given the Pirates' lack of payroll resources and a front office that has scuffled at almost every turn.
Still, Shelton's bullpen management has drawn the ire of many, and it's possible that his style of leadership simply doesn't mesh with the clubhouse. Whatever the case may be, the Pirates can't simply run it back with their current organizational structure after seeing minimal progress during Shelton's tenure, meaning he may be let go as a result.
JACK MARKOWSKI