Pirates Bring Coach with Jim Leyland Ties Out of Retirement
On the surface, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a surprising move Friday by bringing 78-year-old Gene Lamont out of retirement to serve as special advisor to first-year manager Don Kelly.
But when Kelly was named manager of the Pirates last week, Lamont's name immediately came to his mind. And for those familiar with Kelly's playing career, it was not a shock to see a decision that reunited two members of Jim Leyland's storied coaching tree.
Gene Lamont and Indianapolis manager Chris Truby are joining the Pirates’ coaching staff pic.twitter.com/AeDWKD1c1p
— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) May 16, 2025
Lamont, who last coached in 2017 with the Detroit Tigers, was enjoying retirement when Kelly reached out about joining his staff.
"I'm really excited about it. To bring in Gene Lamont as a mentor, not just for me, for the entire staff and the players," Kelly said before Friday's game.
"He was obviously with Leyland. I don't have to go on and on about how much I think about him. He is, I'm just super pumped that he's willing to come on board and willing to be here for us and the Pirates and the organization."
A Lifetime in Baseball
Lamont's baseball career spans six decades. The former catcher played parts of five seasons with the Tigers (1970-75) before transitioning to coaching. He managed in the minors for nine seasons before joining Leyland's Pirates staff in 1986 as third base coach.
His managerial breakthrough came in 1992 with the White Sox, where he won AL Manager of the Year in 1993 after leading Chicago to the ALCS. Lamont returned to Pittsburgh in 1997 as Leyland's successor, managing the Pirates through 2000. He later reunited with Leyland in Detroit from 2006-13, serving as bench coach when Kelly played for the Tigers.
Former #Pittsburgh #Pirates Coach (1986-1991, 1996), & Mgr (1997-2000), Gene Lamont is back as a special advisor to Don Kelly.
— 1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates (@1992Pirates) May 16, 2025
In his #HallOfFame speech, Jim Leyland got choked up as he paid tribute to his friend &colleague of nearly 60 yrs:#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/x7O5elOqsa
An Unconventional Hire
The Pirates are taking an unconventional approach by not naming a traditional bench coach. Instead, Lamont will serve in an advisory role while Chris Truby handles day-to-day operations and Mike Rabelo takes on additional strategic duties.
"Yeah, they definitely are [unorthodox decisions]," Kelly said. "I think the No. 1 thing is we wanted to make sure we had what we needed here in Pittsburgh, as far as experience and decision making and stuff like that."
"No. 2 is trying to disrupt the system, if you will, from coaching/playing development and moving guys around on the major league staff. And just making sure that we were in a good spot here, and I think we were able to accomplish that and bring Geno in in that capacity," said Kelly.
Kelly emphasized Lamont's willingness to help regardless of title: "He's going to do a lot of things that a bench coach does. That's the great thing about Geno. He's not worried about titles. He's here to help."
Convincing Lamont to Return
The Pirates' new manager revealed details about recruiting his former coach.
What was Lamont doing when Kelly called?
"He was retired. Golfing and he's got grandkids. For him to even consider doing it and come up and to do this means a lot to me, and we're fortunate to have him be with the Pirates," said Kelly.
When asked if he had to persuade Lamont, Kelly said: "I did not. I don't know if Leyland did or not. I don't think that you would have to talk him into it, I'm not sure."
"It was the first name that came to my mind and then Leyland had texted and just to be able bring him on board is awesome," he said.
Kelly admitted he wasn't certain Lamont would accept: "I wasn't sure, but I just think the world of him and can't say enough about my time with him in Detroit."
Lamont is expected to join the team Monday in Pittsburgh and will be in the dugout for games.
Bridging Generations
The hiring represents a full-circle moment for the Pirates organization. Lamont first came to Pittsburgh in 1986 as part of Leyland's staff that would eventually lead the team to three straight NL East titles from 1990-92. Now he returns to mentor Kelly, who played under both Lamont and Leyland in Detroit.
For a Pirates team looking to establish a new identity, Lamont's vast experience - including eight seasons as a major league manager and 21 more as a coach - provides immediate credibility to Kelly's staff.
Lamont will be tasked with trying to re-orientate what has been one of the Major League's worst offenses to start the season.
With his arrival, the Pirates hope to blend old-school wisdom with new-age thinking as they look to turn around their season.
Ethan Merrill is from Grand Rapids, MI, and brings with him a diverse background of experiences. After graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, he worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons before settling in the Pittsburgh area in 2020. With a passion for sports and a growing connection to his community, Ethan brings a fresh perspective to covering the Pittsburgh Pirates.