What Pirates' Don Kelly Must Do to Keep Job

Aug 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA;Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly (12) walks to the dugout after a pitching change against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What Pirates' Don Kelly Must Do to Keep Job

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Sep 2, 2026 2:12 PM ET

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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are in familiar territory as they kick off the final full month of regular season action. Even after an impressive walk-off victory kept them within 5.0 games of the final Wild Card spot in the National League, the feeling in Pittsburgh is that postseason baseball is once again out of reach.

It's a devastating step backward for the Pirates, who entered the All-Star break with one of the most fearsome offenses in the MLB. Injuries, regressions in the pitching staff and poor management have all contributed to this team boasting a 68-71 record as they approach the 140th game of the regular season.

The main task for the Pirates and manager Don Kelly now, is to finish strong over their final 23 games. If that gets them into a postseason position, it's a huge victory for the ballclub, but it's no longer an expectation. Meanwhile, Kelly is coaching for his livelihood. In order to keep his job with the Buccos, he has to lead this club to a winning record and into a Wild Card spot. Anything short of that will likely result in the organization moving on from the Pittsburgh native.

Is This Reasonable for the Pirates' Manager?

This should be the basement of expectations for the Pirates' manager, but this is where things are at. With the playoffs fading from their grasp, the only reasonable expectation to have for your manager is that they can lead this team through the adversity.

But can Kelly deliver on this reasonable request?

The Pirates are banking on him findiing that spark one more time. That same spark that helped the team get off to a torrid offensive pace this season. The same spark that helped ace pitcher Paul Skenes win his first Cy Young Award.

Pirates Have Reason to Doubt Kelly

Despite the moments of promise under Kelly, the second-half of this season has created doubt.

Over the past two months, this team has gone from postseason contender to the same old Pirates. That all happened under his leadership, and his decisions with the lineup and pitching staff contributed greatly to that decline.

The request from the Pirates is fair, but that's only part of the equation. Not only does the request need to be fair, it then has to be executed. The Buccos are have a modest ask of their manager, but it's much more than the hope they have remaining in Don Kelly. Unless Kelly can bring this team to a winning record and make the postseason, his time with the Pirates is dangerously close to ending.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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