The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing their best baseball of the season right now. After sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, they dominated the Miami Marlins 10-3 at PNC Park on Monday, extending their winning streak to a season-long four games and matching their season-high in runs.
While the Pirates still have a losing record at 27-40 and remain last in the NL Central, they’ve quietly turned things around under new manager Don Kelly. After starting the year 12-26 with a minus-57 run differential under Derek Shelton, Pittsburgh has gone 15-14 with a plus-3 run differential under Kelly, pulling out of their early-season funk with a full month of winning baseball.
The Pirates’ former bench coach seems to have given them a spark, especially lately. They’re 12-7 with a plus-14 run differential over their last 19 games despite playing just four games against opponents that currently have losing records.
After Monday’s big win, star outfielder Bryan Reynolds credited Kelly for Pittsburgh’s recent success.
“Just great. Everybody in here loves him and he’s fun to play for, so not much more you can ask,” Reynolds said during his postgame interview.
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Despite having no previous major league managerial experience, the 45-year-old Kelly has been a breath of fresh air for this young Pirates team. Pittsburgh had seemingly plateaued under Shelton, going 76-86 in both 2023 and 2024 before regressing to 12-26 under his watch this season.
The Pirates spent much of Shelton’s tenure rebuilding, going 306-440 (.410 winning percentage) with three last-place finishes in his five-plus seasons at the helm.
By comparison, Kelly’s brief tenure has been a step in the right direction. After winning its first game and first series under him, Pittsburgh has found its footing and settled into a groove.
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The Pirates have proven resilient, too, with three walk-off wins and an 8-6 record in one-run games under Kelly. If they keep playing hard for him this summer, the front office may decide to bring him back as the manager for 2026 and beyond.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images