Having a 1.85 ERA and striking out 106 batters over 102 innings, only to be rewarded with a 4-6 record, has to be frustrating for a pitcher. That's what Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has been dealing with this year: And on top of his misleading individual statistics, his team is 32-49 and essentially already out of the playoff picture.
Knowing Skenes' level of talent and what other teams will be willing to offer him when he finally becomes a free agent, the Pirates are likely already counting their days left with him on their roster. But although there probably won't be enough zeros on the check to keep him in Pittsburgh, it sure seems like Skenes would enjoy playing for Pirates interim manager Don Kelly long-term.
In Tuesday's contest against the Milwaukee Brewers, Kelly benched star outfielder Oneil Cruz for not hustling down the line on a ground ball that turned out to be an inning-ending double play.
Pirates manager Don Kelly said Oneil Cruz was removed from tonight’s game due to “energy and effort” on the double play he hit into in his final at-bat. He was unwilling to say if Cruz will be in the lineup tomorrow.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) June 25, 2025
“I think we were pretty clear the other day, and he knows the expectation going forward,” Kelly told MLB.com after the game. “We talked, but he knows the expectation, and right there, I think we fell a little short.”
This level of accountability is something that Skenes wants in a manager and organization, making it more appealing to the flame-throwing starter to stay put.
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Don Kelly is bringing a new seriousness to the Pirates
Kelly took over the manager role in Pittsburgh after Derek Shelton was fired earlier this season. When Skenes was asked about his thoughts regarding the change, he didn't really hold back in his response and indicated that the Pirates were in need of a culture change.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't shocked," Skenes said. "We're 12-26. Someone's gotta be held accountable." Skenes shared a couple of months ago.
Skenes is a ferocious competitor, someone who has consistently demanded that his teammates and coaches bring the same. Reading between the lines, it is hard to imagine that Shelton would have benched Cruz the way Kelly did on Tuesday, especially considering the former skipper's sometimes all-too-placid demeanor in the dugout.
And what's really remarkable is that Kelly managed to hold Cruz accountable without creating more unnecessary drama for his players to answer for. Even Cruz himself respected the decision and owned up to his lack of effort, saying, "DK had all the rights to do what he did, and I'll back him up on that.”
Cruz claims he thought there were two outs in the inning rather than one when he slowed up, but regardless, Kelly found it unacceptable. That sort of lack of effort can't happen if you want to finally start winning meaningful games. This is the type of manager Skenes and many other players would like to play for long-term because they know he will push them to be the best they can be. If Kelly should stay in Pittsburgh for an extended amount of time, this could be something to keep an eye on when Skenes' future comes up in conversation.