Don Kelly's first month as the Pirates' manager has been highlighted by a 14-14 record, the team's first three-game winning streak of the season and an 8-6 record in one-run games. But, it goes beyond that as well.
While speaking before today's game against the Marlins, the first of a three-game set, Kelly said it's been an adjustment going from bench coach to manager. He said he's had to adjust his daily routine while learning how to delegate his old responsibilities. To do that, he said he's emphasized communication with both his staff and his players:
"I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is that, with the players, the communicating, trying to do that more efficiently, more effectively, throughout the days of making sure that we’re all on the same page when it comes to the day-to-day and then the plan going forward."
Kelly, who was named the Pirates' manager following Derek Shelton's firing on May 8, said he's still developing his day-to-day routine and process while learning how to manage all of his responsibilities but said it's "getting smoother every day."
The team's improvement has been evident. The starting rotation owns Major League Baseball's best ERA (2.62), it's third-best WHIP (1.04) and second-best batting average against (.204) since Kelly took over, while the defense has the second-best fielding percentage (.992) and second-fewest errors (8).
The offense is still struggling. It ranks 29th in runs (90), 24th in hits (220), seventh in strikeouts (259), fourth in grounding into double plays (23) and 28th in slugging percentage (.356). But, it has found ways to stay in games, which was most apparent this past weekend as they answered each Phillies run with one of its own.
There's still plenty of season remaining, but Kelly's time as the team's manager has been effective and he's liked how the team has competed.
"I think it's the process of how the guys are competing, playing," Kelly said. "Like we talked about in some of those games, we lost some of those games, but we finished the game. Even though it sounds crazy, but you lose to the Brewers on a day when we're down 8-3 going into the last inning but we get (Trevor) Megill in the game, there's a small win in that. In continuing to compete, continuing to have good at bats throughout the rest of the game, even when you're down pretty big and you (score) two runs there. I think it's just the way we've gone about it has been really good so far."
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
8:02 pm - 06.09.2025NORTH SHORE'Communication' key to Kelly's first month
Don Kelly's first month as the Pirates' manager has been highlighted by a 14-14 record, the team's first three-game winning streak of the season and an 8-6 record in one-run games. But, it goes beyond that as well.
While speaking before today's game against the Marlins, the first of a three-game set, Kelly said it's been an adjustment going from bench coach to manager. He said he's had to adjust his daily routine while learning how to delegate his old responsibilities. To do that, he said he's emphasized communication with both his staff and his players:
"I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is that, with the players, the communicating, trying to do that more efficiently, more effectively, throughout the days of making sure that we’re all on the same page when it comes to the day-to-day and then the plan going forward."
Kelly, who was named the Pirates' manager following Derek Shelton's firing on May 8, said he's still developing his day-to-day routine and process while learning how to manage all of his responsibilities but said it's "getting smoother every day."
The team's improvement has been evident. The starting rotation owns Major League Baseball's best ERA (2.62), it's third-best WHIP (1.04) and second-best batting average against (.204) since Kelly took over, while the defense has the second-best fielding percentage (.992) and second-fewest errors (8).
The offense is still struggling. It ranks 29th in runs (90), 24th in hits (220), seventh in strikeouts (259), fourth in grounding into double plays (23) and 28th in slugging percentage (.356). But, it has found ways to stay in games, which was most apparent this past weekend as they answered each Phillies run with one of its own.
There's still plenty of season remaining, but Kelly's time as the team's manager has been effective and he's liked how the team has competed.
"I think it's the process of how the guys are competing, playing," Kelly said. "Like we talked about in some of those games, we lost some of those games, but we finished the game. Even though it sounds crazy, but you lose to the Brewers on a day when we're down 8-3 going into the last inning but we get (Trevor) Megill in the game, there's a small win in that. In continuing to compete, continuing to have good at bats throughout the rest of the game, even when you're down pretty big and you (score) two runs there. I think it's just the way we've gone about it has been really good so far."
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