The Pirates will take on the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park tonight, with their new manager Donnie Kelly, taking over for Derek Shelton, who was fired by the team yesterday.
Shelton ends with a record of 306-440 as Pirates manager, including 12-26 this year, with the Bucs mired in a seven-game losing streak. General manager Ben Cherington says Shelton’s dismissal is unfortunate, but the team just isn’t playing good baseball.
Cherington says the terrible start to the season is not all Shelton’s fault.
Kelly is a Pittsburgh native who played at Mount Lebanon High School and Point Park College, and for the Pirates, Tigers, and Marlins in the majors. He’s married to former Bucs’ second baseman Neil Walker’s sister.
Cherington says the team will do everything it can to support Kelly, and there will be more changes on the bench.
Cherington praised Shelton for doing everything he could to turn the Pirates into winners.
The Pirates have not announced their pitching rotation for the weekend series against the Braves. It is Bailey Falter’s turn in the rotation, and he would be followed to the mound tomorrow by Andrew Heaney, and then Carmen Mlodzinski if Kelly keeps the rotation the same. The Braves will use right-hander Bryce Elder tonight. Airtime is 6:15 with first pitch at 6:40 on WCCS.
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