Let’s not sugarcoat it—someone had to pay for the Pirates’ brutal 12–26 start. And it was not going to be the man writing the checks. So, the hammer came down on the guy in the dugout, the one who had been steering this under-resourced ship since 2019. Just like, that, he was out. Gone. “Relieved of duties” after years of leading a team that was never built to win.

But Derek Shelton did not build this roster. He did not make the spending calls. He did not lock the books for another offseason. And yet, when the team nosedived, he was the one sent packing.

Meanwhile, the guy upstairs—the one who’s never given this team a fighting chance—just tightened his tie and talked about “urgency.” Bob Nutting mentioned in an official statement, “We need to act with a sense of urgency,” like urgency was something that just occurred to him in May 2025. Because the biggest free agency splash in team history was back in 2014 when Francisco Liriano was signed with a $39 million deal! Urgency or autopilot?

The truth is, Nutting has perfected the art of dodging blame. He lets others burn while he keeps his hands clean. In the press release, he praised the outgoing manager’s character, then flipped the narrative to suggest change was overdue. And with that, he tossed Shelton under the bus with a smile.

But this story isn’t just about the removal. It’s about power, perception, and a long-standing culture of doing less while expecting more. And the fans? They’ve seen this movie before. The faces change, but the outcome never does. Because the root of the problem is still sitting in the owner’s box, pretending he’s not the reason it’s all crumbling.

Shelton’s firing could look like accountability on the surface, however, the numbers tell a distinctive story. Over parts of six seasons, Shelton posted a 306–440 record, but we can not forget—he was handed a roster that ranked no better than 26th in Opening Day payroll during his entire tenure. Twice, he endured 100-loss seasons. And yet, despite the lack of resources, he managed to steer the Pirates to back-to-back 76-win seasons before the wheels fell off this year. He didn’t quit on this team—they quit on building one.

Now, replacing him is Don Kelly, a former utility star and local fan favorite who has been the bench coach since 2019. Kelly is likable, respected and deeply tied to the city. However, time to be real, this is not a radical transformation. This is a continuity hire dressed up as a transformation. If Shelton was a scapegoat, Kelly is the band-aid. He could “bleed black and gold”, as Nutting said, however, bleeding loyalty does not fix broken leadership from the top. This move is not related to solving the issue—it is related to distracting from it.

The real culprit

If you think to identify the reason the Pirates keep falling apart, look past the dugout and toward the boardroom. Because when you trace the team’s dysfunction to its source, it all circles back to one name: Bob Nutting. Forget the “urgency” he suddenly wants everyone to believe in—it is tough to take that seriously when the man has not signed a free agent to a multi-year deal since Ivan Nova nearly a decade ago. In fact, the team’s highest free-agent spend ever remains a modest three-year, $39 million deal with Francisco Liriano way back in 2014. That’s not urgency. That is autopilot with the payroll stuck in park.

The numbers highlight a grim picture. In the five full seasons under Shelton. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ average payroll under manager Derek Shelton has been lower than the MLB average, with the Pirates’ payroll being around $87.6 M this season while the MLB average is just shy of $170 M. This is despite the Pirates generating substantial revenue through ticket and concession sales. In the last three years, the team has made more money from ticket sales and concessions than they have spent on its teams. When the team hovered above .500 around last year’s trade deadline, management did not double down. Instead of enhancing the roster, the team played it safe. They tried to patch gaps with budget-friendly stats, like, Bryan De La Cruz and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, while subtracting Martín Pérez. Surprisingly, the team spiraled. So while Shelton wore the losses, it was Bob Nutting who established the budget—and the ceiling.

It is not just related to refusing to spend. It is related to actively holding back. Just ask Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler—top-tier pitching stars who dominated Triple-A, sat in the minors as the major-league rotation fell apart. Why? It could be Bob Nutting still feels “burned” by Skenes earning full service time last year by winning Rookie of the Year. That is not the approach. That is sabotage for savings.

The product on the field has become a highlight of a team forced to work within the margins. Star development has been hit and miss. While stars like, Skenes, Mitch Keller and Oneil Cruz shine, others—Henry Davis, Nick Gonzales, Liover Peguero—have stalled. Injuries have not helped, however, lack of investment in depth, coaching and infrastructure enhances every misstep. Still, Bob Nutting watches from above, untouched and unapologetic.

Because firing a manager is easy. Fixing a broken philosophy? That takes more than a press release.

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