Pirates GM Ben Cherington Expects Manager Derek Shelton to Return in 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has expressed confidence in manager Derek Shelton’s future, indicating he expects Shelton to return next season. Cherington emphasized that Shelton is still “the right person to manage this team” for 2025, despite the team’s poor performance in August that led to their exit from postseason contention.

Cherington addressed Shelton’s efforts during a recent game, stating, “I think there’s a lot to the job I believe he does really, really well and I also believe he works his tail off to continue to improve in a number of ways.” Shelton has recorded an overall record of 287 wins and 404 losses (.415) over his near five-year tenure with the Pirates.

As the team looks to improve in the coming seasons, they are counting on rookie pitcher Paul Skenes, who has generated excitement among fans since joining the major league squad. The Pirates had been in a solid position at the trade deadline on July 30, hovering above .500 and competing for a wild-card spot. Unfortunately, the team has struggled, and projections suggest they will finish with around 76 wins, mirroring last year’s results.

Cherington pointed out the team’s progress, sharing, “I do believe that there’s good evidence that we’re in a better position and we’re improved, and again, it’s not enough.” He acknowledged his responsibility for seeking further improvements and increasing the team’s win totals. Cherington took on the role as general manager in November 2019, shortly after hiring Shelton to reform the major league roster. However, the journey toward making the Pirates competitive again has faced significant challenges.

During Shelton’s initial years, the Pirates ended up last in the NL Central three times, as Cherington focused on rebuilding the farm system by trading away prominent players, including Joe Musgrove and Josh Bell. Progress has been made, as evidenced by the Pirates achieving a record of 76-86 last year. Skenes’ debut in mid-May this season brought a renewed sense of optimism that the franchise had not felt since their playoff successes a decade ago.

Though Skenes has stood out on the pitching staff—with an impressive record of 10-2 and a 2.10 ERA through 20 starts—the team’s bullpen has struggled, and the offense has not been consistently productive. The Pirates find themselves among the lowest-ranked teams in the National League across various offensive statistics, including runs (11th), home runs (13th), and on-base plus slugging percentage.

While Cherington has backed Shelton’s continued leadership, he was more cautious regarding the coaching staff’s future. The status of hitting coach Andy Haines appears uncertain as the team continues to face challenges in scoring runs.

“We will get to the end of the season and have an opportunity to look at the entire (coaching) group and decide, again consistent with the point about faster improvement and more improvement, if any adjustments are necessary to give ourselves a better chance to do that,” Cherington stated, reflecting on potential changes within the coaching ranks.

In addition to coaching evaluations, the Pirates are also making adjustments to their scouting department, although Cherington described these changes as not being a full-scale overhaul.

The major league roster remains a work in progress. Earlier this month, the Pirates shifted 6-foot-7 shortstop Oneil Cruz to center field due to defensive struggles. Meanwhile, third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is battling back issues that have affected his power at the plate. The organization currently has three catchers set for next season—2021’s top overall pick Henry Davis, Endy Rodriguez, and Joey Bart—and is in search of a first baseman, particularly if they do not re-sign Rowdy Tellez, who has recently regained form after a slow start.

Designated hitter Andrew McCutchen, who hit his 20th home run of the season recently, has expressed interest in returning for another year. Cherington has shown optimism about this possibility, stating, “We would love to find a way for Andrew to finish his career in a Pirates uniform.”

Nevertheless, the team faces a complex situation moving forward. Cherington concluded, “(We) believe the team is better than it was last year and (it’s still) not good enough. We need to make it better. There’s no one thing that’s going to do that. There are lots of things that are going to do that. We’re responsible for delivering and we’ll keep focused on that.”