The Pittsburgh Pirates have lost the first two games of their final three-game series against the Cubs this season and are back below .500.
Pittsburgh sits 74-75 with 13 games remaining and continues to watch their fleeting playoff hopes become a distinct reality.
The Pirates had won eight of their last 10 games including four in a row that concluded with a sweep of the Chicago White Sox. It was the team’s first road series of the year.
As the San Diego Padres and Arizona Padres continue to win and the Pirates
at least 5.5 games back, questions remain whether Don Kelly will be back as Pirates manager.
Kelly’s decision to pull Paul Skenes after seven innings with only 82 pitches in a must-win game was costly. Gregory Soto entered and gave up the lead, allowing two runs and the Pirates losing a deflating game to their division rival.
It all but eliminates the Pirates from the wild card race. This would be the 11th year in a row the team misses the postseason.
Decisions with the bullpen, pulling starters early, and lineups have frustrated Pirates fans throughout the season, especially because their year was supposed to be different.
We asked fans if they think the Pirates will retain Kelly at the end of the season.
77% of fans think Don Kelly will be back as Pirates manager for the 2027 season, per our SB Nation MLB Reacts poll.
Kelly took over for Derek Shelton as Pirates manager in May of 2025 and was named the full-time leader after the season. The Pirates extended Kelly’s deal, but the length and terms of the deal were not released.
It’s unclear how long Kelly is under contract and if that would play a factor in if he would be retained. Kelly has been in the Pirates dugout since 2020.
The Pirates are underdogs against the Cubs on Sunday, and the spread is set at +1.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook as the Bucs look to avoid being swept. The over/under run total is set at 6.5, and the moneyline is +122 at Wrigley.
To bet on the Bucs on FanDuel, click the link here to get in on the weekend’s action: https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/mlb
Kelly’s Pirates return to Pittsburgh for the final homestand of the year for nine games against the Brewers, Royals, and Cardinals beginning on Monday and concluding on Thursday, September 24 at PNC Park.
