‘I Understand Pittsburgh Fans Because I Am One,” Don Kelly Hoping to Lead Pirates to Better Days
PITTSBURGH – Like most kids who were raised in Western Pennsylvania, Don Kelly grew up a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates. When Kelly was born in Butler, Pa. in February 1980, the Pirates were reigning World Series champions.
Though he’s never seen his hometown team hoist the World Series trophy, he remembers watching the Pirates come as close as can be to getting a chance.
Kelly wasn’t yet a teenager in 1992, the season in which the Pirates suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Atlanta Braves in game seven of the National League Championship Series, but the memories of that day are still vivid.
“That was gut-wrenching. That’s something that still drives me,” Kelly explained. “I was 12 years old when that happened, and it still drives me to this day.”
Kelly’s career in baseball – as a player, scout and coach – led him to becoming manager of the very team he grew up cheering for.
Kelly had been serving as bench coach under Derek Shelton since the latter was named manager during the 2019-20 offseason. After the Pirates fired Shelton this May, Kelly was tabbed as manager for the rest of the 2025 season.
On Monday, it was announced that Kelly had his contract extended and would continue in his role.
“I’m truly honored to be the guy to lead the Pirates going forward,” Kelly said at a press conference at PNC Park. “Grateful for the trust from [owner Bob Nutting], from [team president Travis Williams], from [general manager Ben Cherington], and most importantly from the players and the fans.”
Kelly inherited a team that went 12-26 through the first six weeks of the season. He made his managerial debut on May 9 against the Atlanta Braves, and the Pirates went 59-65 under him to end the season.
It was enough to convince Cherington that Kelly was the right guy for the Pirates moving forward.
“He has both the ability to influence us going forward in the most positive ways, and he also has all of the experience and skills and judgement necessary to do this job at the highest level,” said Cherington. “I’m very confident that he’s the right person for this job.”
Though the Pirates showed improvement under Kelly’s leadership, there is a long way to go until the team can be viewed as contenders.
Despite improved play under Kelly, the Pirates ended the 2025 season with a 71-91 record and in last place in the National League Central.
“We’ve taken strides this year in doing that. We are certainly not there yet. We are on the track to get there,” said Kelly. “But we are on the way and I think that the culture in the clubhouse, the players’ commitment to each other, to winning and, honestly, in representing Pittsburgh in the right way, the way that I’ve known the city as a blue-collar, hard-working town that does those things every single day. That’s the standard that we expect from our players – to show up and work tirelessly.”
Fans have understandably grown restless with the direction – or lack thereof – the Pirates have shown for much of the 30-plus years, and the frustrations seemed to have hit a breaking point this season.
That was evident with cries of “sell the team” aimed at Nutting that echoed through an often-empty PNC Park seemingly more frequently than chants of “let’s go Bucs.”
The fanbase has been beaten down and battered annually outside of a three-year stretch from 2013-15 that saw the Pirates clinch the top wild card spot, and Kelly gets it.
“I understand Pittsburgh fans because I am one,” Kelly said. “They’re passionate. They’re relentless. It’s going to be on both sides. I know that when we are winning here in Pittsburgh the fans are going to be there.
“We also hear it whenever we’re not doing the things that we need to do. That’s what drives me, that is what drives us every single day to be the best version of ourselves, to be the best version out on the field and to work tirelessly towards bringing winning baseball back to Pittsburgh, which we are going to do.”
Now, Kelly is tasked with doing what only one manager has done since Pittsburgh lost in game seven at Fulton County Stadium 33 years ago – bring the Pirates back to relevancy and play in meaningful games in October.
“The expectations are high. The expectations are high going forward, from here on out,” said Kelly, “I take responsibility in that, leading the charge in that.”
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