The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Derek Shelton, the team announced Thursday.
Shelton's dismissal comes as the Pirates (12-26) have lost seven straight games and 10 of 11. They have already fallen 10 games back of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.
Shelton had managed the Pirates since 2020, going 306-440 overall without posting a winning record.
"I believe he was the right person for the job when he was hired. I also believe that a change is now necessary," general manager Ben Cherington said in a statement. "I wish Derek and his family all the best in their next chapter."
Noting there is "a lot of baseball left to be played," Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said the team needed to "act with a sense of urgency and take the steps necessary to fix this now to get back on track as a team and organization."
Pirates bench coach Don Kelly has been named the team's manager. Kelly had served in his previous role since 2020.
