The Pirates fall both in the NL Central and the NL Wild Card hunt has prompted plenty of speculation about the job security of manager Derek Shelton, but general manager Ben Cherington told the teams beat today that he feels Shelton is the right person to manage this team in 2025 and said he expects Shelton will return next season ( via Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). Shelton initially signed a four-year deal spanning the 2020-23 seasons and . Its the second straight year in which the Pirates have shown signs of getting back into contention in the NL Central, only to fade in significant fashion. The 23 Pirates got out to one of the hottest starts of any club in baseball but wilted as the season wore on. This years club rebounded from a slow start with a hot summer showing, going 29-22 in June and July to position themselves as a Wild Card contender. Cherington added , and at the deadline in hopes of sparking a postseason push for his club, but the Bucs responded with a disastrous 8-19 record in August, tanking their playoff hopes. Theyre currently 69-76, sitting last place in the division. Shelton, 54, is in his fifth season managing the Pirates. Theyve yet to produce a winning record or finish better than fourth in the division under his watch, although as is the case with any manager of a rebuilding club, thats hardly a reflection of his effectivene s. The Pirates tore down much of the roster and embarked on a lengthy rebuilding effort when Cherington was hired, and Shelton has rarely been given the makings of a competitive big league roster. That said, the Buccos have had a better foundation recently certainly this season, with and arriving on the scene but have yet to consistently look like Dylan Cease Jersey a well-rounded club. Starting pitching is the organizations strength, with Skenes, Jones and comprising a strong trio atop the rotation. But many of the Pirates most touted young hitters have failed to progre s as hoped whether that be third baseman , whos declined at the plate amid a series of back injuries, or former No. 1 overall pick , whos mashed in Triple-A but has yet to carry that production to the majors. Pittsburghs bullpen was also touted by Cherington as a potential strength heading into the season but has generally floundered this season, thanks in large part to a surprising step back from former All-Star closer and Pittsburgh native . Bolstering the lineup and improving the bullpen figure to be focal points for the front office this offseason, although perennially frugal owner Bob Nutting isnt likely to give Cherington & Co. much to work with in terms of financial resources. Thatll only increase the importance of extracting the most from their in-house young talents. Given some of the myriad struggles up and down the roster, its plenty feasible that therell be changes made to Sheltons coaching staff. Barring a turnaround next season, it also stands to reason that Shelton himself could be on thin ice sooner than later. Its at least anecdotally notable that Sheltons predece sor, Clint Hurdle, publicly stated late in the 2019 season that hed been told hed return for the 2020 season . This situation isnt exactly analogous, as its the general manager and not Shelton himself making this statement. Cheringtons comment does stop short of firmly declaring that Shelton will be retained, which technically leaves the door cracked for owner Bob Nutting to step in and make a change, but the overwhelming likelihood is now that Shelton will get a sixth go at helming the ship and trying to steer the Pirates into a legitimate postseason contender. Tanner Scott Jersey
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