PITTSBURGH — The good vibes around the Pirates’ clubhouse have extended to the coaching staff, in turn leading to some fresh ink being drawn.
General manager Ben Cherington informed reporters Saturday afternoon that the Pirates have reached a deal with manager Derek Shelton that extends him beyond the 2023 season. Cherington did not provide specific details about how long the deal will run for nor for what level of compensation.
Shelton, in his fourth year as the Pirates’ manager, has produced a combined 156-249 record that features back-to-back 100-loss seasons in 2021 and 2022. But this season, the Pirates have stormed out to their best start since 1992, going 14-7 while being in the midst of their first five-game win streak since 2019.
Prior to 2020, Shelton’s first season with the Pirates, he had last managed in 2002, doing so for one of the Yankees’ minor league affiliates. He then spent a number of years as a hitting coach, first with the Cleveland Indians and later with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Shelton also operated as both a quality control coach and bench coach before being tabbed as the Pirates’ next skipper, a position that’s suddenly become more secure in light of the team’s fast start and the franchise’s financial backing.
