Struggling Pirates fire manager Derek Shelton

The Pittsburgh Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton on Thursday, just over one month into his sixth season with the team.

Bench coach Don Kelly was named as the manager of the Pirates, who sport a 12-26 record and reside in last place in the National League Central -- 10 games in back of the first-place Chicago Cubs.

Pittsburgh has lost seven in a row and 10 of its last 11 games. The franchise last qualified for the postseason in 2015 as a wild-card team and was last in the National League Division Series in 2013.

Shelton, 54, took over before the 2020 season and posted a 306-440 career record as the Pittsburgh manager.

"Derek worked incredibly hard and sacrificed a lot over five-plus years. His family became a big part of the Pirates family and we will miss that," Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said in a statement. "He's incredibly smart, curious and a driven baseball leader. I believe he was the right person for the job when he was hired. I also believe that a change is now necessary. I wish Derek and his family all the best in their next chapter."

Kelly, 45, was in the midst of his sixth season as the Pirates bench coach before being promoted on Thursday. The Pittsburgh native made his big-league debut with the Pirates on April 2, 2007.

"Donnie is as respected as any person in our clubhouse and throughout our organization," Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said. "He is a Pirate. He bleeds black and gold. No one is more committed, and no one loves this team or city more than Donnie. He is the right person to manage our team and help get us back on track."

--Field Level Media