May 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly (right) argues with home plate umpire Clint Vondrak (15) against the Atlanta Braves during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates Manager Don Kelly Addresses Ejection vs. Phillies

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated May 17, 2025 9:00 AM ET

PHILADELPHIA — Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly has spent just a little more than a week in his new position, but has found himself in heated conversations with umpires.

The Pirates took on the Philadelphia Phillies for the series opener at Citizens Bank Park on May 17, pitting two in-state rivals against each other.

Pittsburgh led 3-1 in the seventh inning, but with two runners on and one out, Kelly went with left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki against Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper.

Borucki took an early 0-2 count against Harper, but his counterpart worked it back to a favorable 3-2 count.

Harper would attempt a swing on the sixth pitch of the at-bat, but brought it back, at least in time for third base umpire John Libka, who allowed Harper to take first base on ball four.

Kelly didn't agree with the call and eventually, Libka threw him out of the game, prompting Kelly to go out to Libka and let him know how he really felt.

Don Kelly has been ejected after the 3rd base ump missed a check-swing call in a 3-2 count pic.twitter.com/vOMnKkFKcG
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) May 17, 2025

The Pirates bullpen struggled for both the rest of the inning and the contest, as the Phillies would go on to win 8-4 and take the first game of the series.

Kelly said postgame that he knew that call was a big play in the game and that he had to stand up for his team in that moment, especially with how hard they were competing.

“I think that for me, being fortunate to play in the league and understand what’s at stake for these guys and what they’re going out every single day," Kelly said. "That call, I felt, was a huge point in that game and I have their back. I have our guys’ back and to go out there and these guys are going out there, competing, battling and I didn’t think, I didn’t think it was something, that call was a big point that changed the game and I’m going to have our guys’ back and the way they’re going about it, competing, that was a huge point in the game there.”