Don Kelly's team-first approach ignites a palpable buzz as the Pittsburgh Pirates prepare for a season filled with elevated expectations and significant roster upgrades.
Don Kelly would never say the Pittsburgh Pirates are his team. It’s just not in Kelly’s nature because he truly believes the old saw about there being no letter “I” in the word team.
So, when Kelly talks about the first few days of spring training in his first full season as manager, he refrains from referring to himself. That does not come as a surprise to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, who promoted Kelly from bench coach to manager when Derek Shelton was fired on May 8 last year.
“Not surprisingly, it’s not just about himself,” Cherington said. “He’s not making it about himself; he’s making it about the Pirates. He’s noticing the things that matter to him in terms of behavior, energy, focus, attention to detail. The things he knows are going to add up to the culture we need to be. He’s noticing those things. He’s calling those out. He’s celebrating those things.
“It’s about the team, it’s not about him. I see someone who is real comfortable in his own skin, and that is not surprising; we know him to be that way. First major league spring training as a manager is no easy thing. He looks like he’s been doing it for a while.”
Kelly had nothing to lose when he took over as manager. Pittsburgh was 12-26 and, for all practical purposes, out of contention.
However, the Pirates played better under Kelly, posting a 59-65 record. That gave Cherington and owner Bob Nutting the confidence to make Kelly the full-time manager two days after the season ended.
This time, Kelly has expectations to deal with. Pittsburgh is talking about making the postseason for the first time since 2015, following a winter when they added three All-Stars – second baseman Brandon Lowe, right fielder Ryan O’Hearn, and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna – to a lineup that was last in the major leagues in runs scored in 2025.
Beyond that, the Pirates also bolstered their bullpen with left-handers Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery. They are hopeful right-hander Jose Urquidy can add depth to the starting rotation, and Jake Mangum and Jhostynxon Garcia can provide help in the outfield.
It marks the first time the Pirates have significantly bolstered their roster since Cherington became GM after the 2019 season.
“The excitement is real. It's high,” Kelly said. “I think that there's always excitement going into spring. Looking at this one with the moves that we've been able to make in the offseason to pair with the guys coming back, it's real. You can feel it around camp. You can feel it in the clubhouse and out on the field. Guys are excited to go. For me personally, it's the same.
“It's a good vibe, and pumped to get to the field every day and be out there with the staff and the players. I think that for me, as far as anything changing, just really want to be that stable force for the staff and players and let them know that I'm there for them and with them. We talk about the roller coaster all the time and how do we, as a staff, try to stay in the middle and keep the players off the roller coaster.”
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