Pirates' Paul Skenes Not Surprised By Derek Shelton Firing
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The Pittsburgh Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton on Thursday following a 12-26 start to the season, one of the worst records in baseball. Hours before manager Don Kelly’s debut, pitcher Paul Skenes shared his thoughts on the decision.
“Yeah, unfortunately I wasn’t shocked,” Skenes said. “At the end of the day, we’re 12-26. Someone’s got to be held accountable, and unfortunately right now, it’s him. That’s just kind of how it goes. But I don’t know that it fixes the root of the issue, which is we need to play better. That’s been the messaging today, that’s been the messaging for a little bit now—and we’ve still got to do that.”
When asked if the season could still be salvaged, Skenes offered a reflective, honest response.
“I mean, I think that’s one thing we need to figure out as a group—what our goal is for the season, and figure out how to get there,” he said.
“Salvageable—like, what does that mean, right? And I’m not saying for you or the rest of the media, but what does it mean within the locker room? If nothing else, we’re gonna grow—we better grow. Because if we don’t grow, then it’s a completely lost season.”
Paul Skenes spoke today after manager Derek Shelton’s firing and answered a question on if the season is “salvageable.”
— Colin Beazley (@colin_beazley) May 9, 2025
His response: pic.twitter.com/Cf4SwRV8tP
He added, “We just gotta keep going and understand the urgency of where we’re at right now. Whatever team is gonna win the World Series—and maybe it’s us—they’re growing right now. We’ve gotta do that and know the urgency of it.”
Shelton, who was hired before the 2020 season, finished with a 306-440 (.410) record as Pirates manager, never posting a winning season during his time at the helm. The team finished 19-41 in the shortened 2020 season, then lost 101 and 101 games in 2021 and 2022. They're coming off back-to-back 76-86 seasons, but are on pace to finish with another 100 loss season
The move came amid a dismal stretch of baseball played by Pittsburgh, with the Pirates entering Friday’s game on a seven-game losing streak. They are 1-9 in their last ten games, the lone win coming last week in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs. They also have not yet won a game in the month of May.
The Pirates will begin a new chapter tonight when Kelly, a former bench coach and player, takes over as interim manager against the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. First pitch will be at 6:40 pm ET.
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.