As Don Kelly heads toward the end of his second season running the Pirates, Pittsburgh’s next move may not come on the field at all. It may come on the bench.
Kelly is only 46, still young for a major league manager, and the article’s case is simple: if the Pirates want him to be in the best position to succeed in 2027, they need to put a seasoned voice next to him. The concern is that Kelly’s habit of micromanaging the club has already cost Pittsburgh some games, and a veteran bench coach could help steady things before next season becomes a make-or-break year.
That urgency matters because 2027 is being framed as a critical season for Kelly. If the Pirates get off to a slow start, his job could be on the line. So the thinking goes that Pittsburgh should begin lining up support staff now rather than waiting until the pressure is fully on.
Kelly has already shown the kind of blunt honesty he values. In a March 17, 2026 clip from Foul Territory, he repeated advice he got from Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland: "If you tell them the truth, they're going to hate you for a day. If you lie to them, they're going to hate you forever."
Right now, though, the bench coach role belongs to Kristopher Negrón, who played only 170 games in the majors. The article paints him as an inexperienced presence for a staff that could use more stability. It also notes that as of August 30, only five players on the Pirates’ 26-man roster had more than five years of major league service time, which only sharpens the need for a steadier hand in the dugout.
The suggested path is to look for a coach with ties to the area. Kelly himself is from Butler, Pennsylvania, and the piece floats John Shoemaker as one possible target. Shoemaker, a Chillicothe, Ohio, native, is currently the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate coach and has been in the Los Angeles system since 1981 without landing a major league bench job.
In the end, the article argues that Kelly helped create this issue by moving up from bench coach to replace Derek Shelton last season, leaving no veteran presence behind him. For the Pirates to make a push next year, the staff around Kelly needs to be strengthened first.
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Pirates Closing In On Two Veteran Returns At The Perfect Time
The Pirates are getting close to some much-needed reinforcements as the season enters its stretch run. Ryan OHearn is expected to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis while working back from a left quad strain, a sign that his return to Pittsburghs lineup is drawing nearer. For a club trying to stay steady late in the year, getting a veteran bat back on the active roster would be a timely boost.
There is also optimism around the bullpen, where general manager Ben Cherington said Kirby Yates could be back from the injured list around September 15 after a right shoulder impingement. Yates has been one of the more important veteran arms for Pittsburgh this season, and his return would help deepen a relief group that can use every reliable inning it can get. The only question now is whether both players can make it through their final steps cleanly and arrive when the Pirates need them most. [Read more 🡒]
Henry Davis May Be Giving The Pirates More Than Elite Defense
Henry Davis has long been valued in Pittsburgh for what he does behind the plate, but his latest night offered a reminder that there may be more coming with the bat, too. In the Pirates 1-0 win over the Angels on Sept. 6, Davis delivered the only run of the game with a solo home run, a swing that fit neatly with the steady defensive reputation he has built as one of the best catchers in baseball.
Afterward, Davis talked about adjustments he has been making to get his back leg more active at the plate while still handling the grind of catching. The Pirates have lived with the offense that has come and gone, because the defense has remained elite, and Davis also helped turn the game with a key play in the field. If the offensive work continues to line up with that kind of glove, Pittsburgh may be looking at a much more complete version of a player it already trusts in the biggest moments. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Bullpen Is Suddenly Waiting On One Crucial Return
Kirby Yates has quickly become one of the more important bullpen pieces the Pirates added at the trade deadline, so his move to the 15-day injured list landed as a notable setback. The right-hander was placed there retroactive to Aug. 31 because of a right shoulder impingement, just weeks after Pittsburgh acquired him from the Angels on Aug. 4 and watched him post a 2.19 ERA across 13 appearances.
General manager Ben Cherington said Yates is expected back around his eligibility date of Sept. 15, which gives the Pirates at least some reason to believe the injury will be a short detour. For a bullpen that was counting on Yates to stabilize late innings, the real issue now is how long it can bridge the gap and whether he returns looking like the same arm Pittsburgh thought it had just added. [Read more 🡒]