Pirates Manager Don Kelly Addresses Ejection vs. Phillies
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PHILADELPHIA — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly has spent just a little more than a week in his new position, but has found himself in heated conversations with umpires.
The Pirates took on the Philadelphia Phillies for the series opener at Citizens Bank Park on May 17, pitting two in-state rivals against each other.
Pittsburgh led 3-1 in the seventh inning, but with two runners on and one out, Kelly went with left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki against Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper.
Borucki took an early 0-2 count against Harper, but his counterpart worked it back to a favorable 3-2 count.
Harper would attempt a swing on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, but brought it back, at least in time for third base umpire John Libka, who allowed Harper to take first base on ball four.
Kelly didn't agree with the call and eventually, Libka threw him out of the game, prompting Kelly to go out to Libka and let him know how he really felt.
Don Kelly has been ejected after the 3rd base ump missed a check-swing call in a 3-2 count pic.twitter.com/vOMnKkFKcG
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) May 17, 2025
The Pirates bullpen struggled for both the rest of the inning and the contest, as the Phillies would go on to win 8-4 and take the first game of the series.
Kelly said postgame that he knew that call was a big play in the game and that he had to stand up for his team in that moment, especially with how hard they were competing.
“I think that for me, being fortunate to play in the league and understand what’s at stake for these guys and what they’re going out every single day," Kelly said. "That call, I felt, was a huge point in that game and I have their back. I have our guys’ back and to go out there and these guys are going out there, competing, battling and I didn’t think, I didn’t think it was something, that call was a big point that changed the game and I’m going to have our guys’ back and the way they’re going about it, competing, that was a huge point in the game there.”
This is the second time that Kelly has been ejected in just seven games in charge, after the Pirates dismissed Derek Shelton on May 8.
Kelly, again, didn't agree with a call that didn't go the way of his pitcher, left-hander Andrew Heaney, against the Atlanta Braves on May 10.
Third base coach Mike Rabelo took over as acting manager in both games, and Kelly sees him having an increased role in his staff going forward.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.