The firing of Pirates Head Coach Derek Shelton is a huge step forward for this team. But he is not the only one who should go.
Shelton has been the head coach for the team since 2020 and has done nothing for the team. He has not led the team to a single winning season, and this year, their record is 12-26.
Bench Coach Don Kelly will replace Shelton as head coach for the remainder of the season, and he is probably the best person for the job.
Firing Shelton will not win the Pirates any more games, as it might even lead to more losses. Kelly has never been a head coach, before so appointing him might be a mistake, and most importantly, the players will not magically get better because there is a new coach.
Since Shelton is gone, there is one more move the team needs to make: Firing General Manager Ben Cherington.
Cherington is the problem with this team. He is the reason why the rebuild is taking so long. Other than Paul Skenes, all of his first-round picks seem like busts, he does not spend any money, and he trades every free agent he signs for cash or prospects.
His moves made sense when the rebuild began. But six years later, nothing has gotten done. This team has gotten worse than past years and there is nothing he can do now.
The team could have their closer, Aroldis Chapman, who was with the team last year. But they did not offer him a contract in the offseason and instead, they signed Caleb Ferguson, Tommy Pham, and Adam Frazier. None of them is making an impact on the team, and all have made the team worse.
Pham is having the worst season he has ever had, and Cherington will not do anything about him because he was the team’s biggest free agent signing this year, which is so sad.
With or without Shelton, this team will lose. With Cherington, this team will lose. Without Cherington, they might have a chance. Firing Cherington has to be the next move for the club.
