Will Pirates Keep Manager Don Kelly? MLB Insider Praises ‘Miracle Worker’

So you’re saying there’s a chance? The Pittsburgh Pirates will have a decision to make after the 2025 World Series about who will be the club’s full-time manager moving forward. Perhaps the best candidate is the one already filling the job, according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

“If the Pirates don’t keep Donnie Kelly as manager, something’s wrong. He’s at .500 over 100 games. He’s a miracle worker/manager,” Heyman wrote Thursday.

This isn’t the first time Heyman has gone to bat for Kelly. Consider what he said last month on MLB Network.

“I think Don Kelly is doing a terrific job and I think the players like him very much,” Heyman said. “Had a great rep going in. Now his contract is up. Although they’re not calling him interim, he really is interim manager at the moment.

“I think he will stay,” Heyman concluded.

The 45-year-old Kelly took over in the dugout in May when the Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton after starting the season 12-26. He was the first big-league skipper to lose his job this year.

Kelly had been the Pirates’ bench coach since the 2020 season. His coaching career started in 2019 as first base coach for the Houston Astros.

Since taking over for Shelton, Kelly has led the Pirates to a 52-51 record, which is quite impressive given the roster churn he’s experienced.

General manager Ben Cherington completed five trades in the 48 hours leading up to the July 31 MLB trade deadline, shipping out All-Star closer David Bednar and Gold Glove-winning third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, as well as pitchers Bailey Falter, Taylor Rodgers and Caleb Ferguson.

The only constant for the Pirates this season is ace Paul Skenes, who is the front-runner for the National League Cy Young Award. The 23-year-old leads the majors with a 1.98 ERA.

Should Kelly get to stick around, he will get a Pirates roster infused by up-and-coming studs. Last month, MLB Pipeline updated its list of the top 100 prospects in the minors and the top 30 prospects on each club. The Pirates have the top prospect at not one, but two different positions.

Shortstop Konnor Griffin is the No. 1 prospect overall, according to MLB Pipeline.

Bubba Chandler is the top right-handed pitching prospect. Seth Hernandez, who’s still in rookie ball, is the No. 4 right-handed pitching prospect.

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