The Pittsburgh Pirates return home Friday to host the Atlanta Braves, now led by a new—yet familiar—manager.
Following a seven-game losing streak and a disappointing 12-26 record, the Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton during Thursday’s off day. Bench coach Don Kelly has been promoted to take over managerial duties.
Shelton managed the team for six seasons, ending with a 306-440 record and no winning campaigns. Kelly, who worked as Shelton’s bench coach the entire time, is expected to lead the team for the rest of the season, according to GM Ben Cherington.
“Derek is a good person who contributed a lot to the team and community, but we needed a fresh direction,” said Pirates chairman Bob Nutting.
Scoring runs has been Pittsburgh’s biggest challenge. Heading into Friday’s game, they’ve only scored 118 runs—second lowest in the league—and have been shut out seven times. Over their last 23 innings, they’ve managed just one run. Their 26 home runs are the fewest in the National League.
Although the pitching staff has held up well, the lack of offense has left little room for error. While the Pirates hadn’t named a Friday starter by Thursday night, left-hander Bailey Falter (1-3, 5.06 ERA) is likely to start, facing Braves righty Bryce Elder (2-1, 5.06 ERA).
Falter pitched well in his last outing—one run over seven innings with six strikeouts—but the Pirates still lost 2-1 to the Padres. He has a 2-1 record and 5.47 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta.
The Braves, who also started slow, have bounced back recently. After dropping 13 of their first 18 games, they’ve now won 13 of their last 19, including a 5-4 extra-inning win over the Reds on Thursday.
Even with recent success, Atlanta’s offense has underperformed, putting added strain on their pitching staff. Fortunately, their starters have stepped up. Chris Sale fanned 10 over nearly seven shutout innings Tuesday, and AJ Smith-Shawver nearly threw a no-hitter on Monday. Although Grant Holmes struggled Wednesday, Spencer Schwellenbach delivered a strong start on Thursday.
“That kind of pitching depth is vital,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “With the losses we’ve had in past seasons due to injuries or free agency, seeing these guys step up is huge.”
Elder allowed two runs over five-plus innings against the Dodgers in his last start. The Braves have won his last four outings. He has a 1-1 record and 5.25 ERA in two career starts versus the Pirates, including a five-inning, five-run loss in Pittsburgh.
