Clint Hurdle Praises Pirates Fans In Warm Return With Rockies

Clint Hurdle has spent most of the last two decades with the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Hurdle managed the Rockies from 2002 to 2009, guiding them to their only World Series appearance in franchise history in 2007. He had similar success during his nine seasons managing the Pirates from 2011 to 2019, leading them to three straight playoff appearances from 2013 to 2015.

Now Hurdle’s back with Colorado, serving as the team’s hitting coach and interim bench coach. The 68-year-old returned to PNC Park this weekend as the Rockies visited the Pirates, giving him a chance to catch up with Andrew McCutchen and reminisce about his time in Pittsburgh.

“This park became a hostile environment for opposing teams,” Hurdle recalled in an interview with 93.7 The Fan. “In that three-year period from ’13 to ’15, I probably had as much fun in the game of baseball as I’ve ever had anywhere.”

‘This park became a hostile environment’ Clint Hurdle memories of PNC Park #Pirates pic.twitter.com/db1GhgShtT

— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) August 22, 2025

Hurdle still thinks highly of Pirates fans, who made his time in Pittsburgh special and gave him a warm ovation during Friday’s series opener.

“The fans made part of that happen. The fanbase, as you all know here, is so deeply passionate, so there’s a lot of good feelings coming back,” Hurdle said. “We had a lot of hard (times) together, too, so it’s like an old friend. A real old friend I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Hurdle hasn’t managed in the Major Leagues since the Pirates dismissed him before the final game of the 2019 season, which produced their most losses (93) since 2010. They have yet to make the postseason or post a winning record since his departure, but they’re showing signs of progress.

Unfortunately for Hurdle, Colorado’s been the worst team in baseball this year, losing an MLB-high 93 games and counting. The Rockies are mired in a deep rebuild and haven’t had a winning season since 2018 — the last year Pittsburgh finished above .500 as well.

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