Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington once again spoke in a way that raised eyebrows, this time while explaining his decision to fire manager Derek Shelton on Thursday.
Cherington took responsibility for the team’s poor 12-26 start and a seven-game losing streak that left them at the bottom of the NL Central standings. During a press conference at PNC Park, he acknowledged that the blame doesn’t rest solely on Shelton.
“This isn’t all on Shelty — we all share the blame,” Cherington said. “It starts with me. I hold the most responsibility. We haven’t performed well enough, and that’s the main issue. It wasn’t about one player or one game, but rather a build-up of underperformance from the end of last season through this year. I felt a leadership change was needed to turn things around.”
Cherington originally hired Shelton in November 2019 and stood by him during two 100-loss seasons, followed by two seasons with 76 wins. Even after a 10-game losing streak last August, Cherington publicly supported Shelton. But despite Shelton’s efforts, he ultimately became the fall guy for the team’s failures, while Cherington remains in charge of baseball operations — a point of frustration for many Pirates fans.
Cherington admitted his own performance would ultimately be judged by the team’s success. “We shared responsibility every step of the way up until this morning,” he said. “It was a hard decision, and if I had done everything right over the past five years, we might not be having this conversation. I fully accept that. This wasn’t just on Shelty, but I decided this was the necessary move.”
When asked if he still believes he’s the right person for the job, Cherington was confident. “Absolutely,” he responded. “I’m still just as driven and committed to this role as the day I started. I’m here to serve the people of Pittsburgh and to help build a team they can be proud of. I know fans are frustrated — maybe even angry — that it hasn’t happened yet, but I truly believe it will, and that I’ll be part of making it happen.”
Cherington has had some successes, like persuading team owner Bob Nutting to sign key players like Ke’Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds, and Mitch Keller to long-term deals, and drafting 2024 NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes with the top pick in 2023. However, he’s also been criticized for failing to develop strong hitters and for not making significant upgrades through trades or free agency.
He admitted that the offense still needs major improvements, and although the Pirates did add players like Spencer Horwitz (who is injured), Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, and Adam Frazier, the offseason didn’t bring all the changes they hoped for.
“There was more we wanted to accomplish in the offseason, but for various reasons, some things just didn’t happen,” Cherington said.
He attributed the team’s struggles to both bad luck and underperforming players, including veterans and younger talents.
“I still believe we have what it takes to improve,” Cherington added. “You don’t have to look too hard to see a better team in 2025. We’ve dug ourselves a hole, and now we have to climb out — one pitch at a time. That’s what we’re all focused on.”
