Pirates of Pittsburgh extend the contract…

Pirates of Pittsburgh extend the contract…

The Pittsburgh Pirates had to decide what to do with manager Derek Shelton before the season began. At least, that’s how it seemed. Additionally, we now know the decision made by Ben Cherington, general manager, and the Pirate front office.

When Shelton was hired on November 27, 2019, as the team’s manager, he signed a four-year contract, which ended in 2023. As a result, Shelton’s contract was set for the 2023 campaign.

News of the Pirates and Shelton’s agreement to extend the contract leaked on Saturday afternoon. Other than the fact that Shelton will remain under contract with the team through at least the 2024 season, not much is known about the conditions of the agreement.

Shelton’s record as the Pirate manager in his first three seasons was a dismal 142-242. Before placing fourth last season, the Pirates had placed last in the National League Central in each of his first two seasons.

It would sound strange to extend a manager with Shelton’s track record, but it was the right thing to do. A Shelton extension was almost a given, unless the Pirates had a dismal start to the season that might have resulted in an in-season termination.

Even with a terrible start to the season, Cherington claimed that the two teams had been working on the contract since spring training. Therefore, it seems likely that an agreement would have been completed. But now that the Pirates are winning and playing the best baseball since the Shelton era, it’s much simpler to make this announcement.