PITTSBURGH -- Throughout his nine-year Major League playing career, there was one constant for Don Kelly. It wasn’t his team, his position or his role. It was that he was playing on a one-year contract.
Perhaps it was only fitting that his first turn as a manager was also effectively on a one-year deal. Kelly took over as the Pirates’ skipper on May 8 when the club dismissed Derek Shelton, with the only commitment being that he was the manager through the end of the season.
After Sunday’s season finale in Atlanta, Kelly and general manager Ben Cherington talked about his future. On Monday, Kelly signed a contract extension to remain the Pirates’ manager. Once again, now as a manager, he showed his worth on that one-year arrangement.
“I think the one thing that was ingrained in me from playing and not having a multiyear deal was you show up every day to earn it,” Kelly said. “That is something that, in talking to the players, it doesn't stop. Even until the end of your career, you never stop fighting for that respect. I think that is something that was vital for me as a player and learning how to deal with your stuff and also for us going forward.”
The length of the contract was not announced by the club. Additionally, Cherington shared that he received assurance that he will be returning as the club’s general manager.
When Kelly took over as manager on May 8, he inherited a club with a 12-26 record that was floundering. While the Pirates were unable to get back into contention like they hoped at the start of the season, they did play better under his stewardship.
The Pirates went 59-65 under Kelly, boasting the fourth-best staff ERA in the Major Leagues after his first game on May 9 (3.59) and the sixth-best fielding percentage (.988). They finished 32-33 after the All-Star break despite parting with David Bednar, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bailey Falter, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Caleb Ferguson in that stretch. Offensive struggles continued to plague the team, but it was felt that the steps they did make under him warranted a new deal.
“Donnie has earned the respect of the players, front office and our fans -- and he has certainly earned mine,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said in a released statement. “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.”
Cherington spoke of doing a “full assessment” once the season was over in regards to Kelly’s future, but he always spoke highly of the work the first-year skipper had done even without long-term assurances of his role.
“I think really over the course of the last five months, it’s just become very clear,” Cherington said. “I can’t speak to a specific day or moment, but it has built to be very clear for all of us that this is the right choice.
“One that thing stood out, clearly to me, is that he was so willing to go after the hardest stuff, and he was effective going after the hardest stuff. I’m talking about standards and holding the team to a standard, holding me to a standard, holding individual people and players to a standard, holding the culture to a standard.”
Kelly’s voice was also appreciated and heard in the clubhouse, with players praising his communication and accountability, while also respecting that he had been in their shoes.
“He’s just great,” Bryan Reynolds said after Kelly had been managing for a month. “Everyone in here loves him. He’s fun to play for, so not much more you can ask.”
Expectations are going to be high for Kelly and Cherington, with team president Travis Williams saying, “We're looking in 2026 to make the playoffs. Period. Full stop.”
“This season, we fell well short as an organization both on and off the field,” Nutting added in his statement. “It has been unacceptable. Our focus must shift to execution, to delivering wins. Results are the only thing that matter. We owe it to our fans, to the city and to the legacy of this team to get it right.
“Ben and everyone in the organization fully understands what is expected, and that the work ahead demands urgency. Today’s announcement of Donnie is the first of many steps we will take this offseason to bring winning baseball back to Pittsburgh.”