After finishing in last place in 2019, the Pirates cleaned house, including overhauling most of the coaching staff.
That won’t happen again this offseason. A source tells DK PIttsburgh Sports that the Pirates are planning on returning their entire 2020 coaching staff next year.
After the season the coaches, Derek Shelton and Ben Cherington reflected on the year, and ultimately Shelton and Cherington did not want to make any changes, despite finishing with the worst record in baseball.
“I’m really encouraged by a lot of what went on with our major league staff,” Cherington said during his end of season Zoom call on Sept. 30.
There’s always the chance that a coach could leave for a different opportunity, but if there are any changes, it will be because of the coach’s own volition. One who could potentially get a better job is bench coach Don Kelly, who has been named in reports in the Tigers managerial search.
Kelly has strong ties to the Tigers’ organization, starting as being one of then manager Jim Leyland’s favorite players. Leyland is now a special advisor in the Tigers’ front office. Kelly’s first post-playing job was being a scout and assistant on the player development staff with the Tigers in 2017. Later in the year, he was promoted to being a major-league scout.
Kelly then transitioned from scouting back to the dugout in 2018, becoming the Astros’ first base coach. He was hired in December 2019 to become the Pirates’ bench coach. He took a more active role than most bench coaches do, with Shelton modeling the role after how he was used with the Twins as their bench coach. Kelly ran spring training and summer camp scheduling this year.
The two members of the staff who appeared to potentially be on the hot seat were hitting coach Rick Eckstein and assistant hitting coach Mike Rabelo. Many of the Pirates’ key players struggled offensively this season, including Josh Bell, Bryan Reynolds and Gregory Polanco. As a team, Pirates hitters finished last in on-base percentage (.284), slugging percentage (.357), OPS (.641) and OPS+ (74).
Pirates hitters enjoyed much more success in Eckstein’s first season with the organization in 2019, which certainly helped his and Rabelo’s case to be retained.
Pitching coach Oscar Marin and bullpen coach Justin Meccage will remain in charge of a pitching staff that improved this season, especially over the final weeks.
Tarrik Brock will return as first base and outfield coach, and Joey Cora will instruct infielders and will man his usual spot at third. Glenn Sherlock worked with catchers and assisted in game preparation and management.
Cora, Eckstein and Meccage were the only holdovers from the Pirates’ 2019 staff. Everyone else -- including Shelton and Cherington -- will be entering their second season with the Pirates.
