The Minnesota Twins have hired former Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Derek Shelton to be their new manager, the team announced Thursday.
Shelton, who was fired May 8 as the Pirates quickly slipped into last place in the National League Central, will replace Rocco Baldelli, who was fired by Minnesota on Sept. 29. The Twins are one of nine MLB teams that have changed managers this year.
The 55-year-old Shelton was the bench coach for the Twins in 2018 and 2019 under two managers, Paul Molitor and Baldelli. An introductory news conference is scheduled for Tuesday.
“We’ve seen firsthand the trust and respect he earns from players and how he helps them reach their best,” Twins president Derek Falvey said in a statement. “His journey, through both the successes and the tough stretches, has given him real perspective as a leader. That balance and his connection to what this place means to people will serve our players and staff well as we work to build something lasting for our fans and for Minnesota.”
Shelton will be the 15th manager of the Twins, who began in 1961 after the franchise moved from Washington, but he is the first hire in their history with previous experience as a major league manager.
Shelton was named manager of the Pirates in November 2019 as part of a franchise-wide reset by owner Bob Nutting. It was his first major league managing job after serving as a coach in various capacities in Tampa Bay, Toronto and Minnesota, and he went 306-440 in his five-plus seasons with Pittsburgh, never finishing higher than fourth place in the NL Central or better than 76-86.
The Twins, who were expected to contend for the American League Central title this season, faltered in June and became active at the trade deadline, sending away 10 players while cutting $26 million from the payroll. The team went 23-43 after the All-Star break to finish fourth in the division with a 70-92 mark. It was the fourth-worst record in the major leagues and their worst mark since 2016.
Attendance swooned at Target Field this season, with the Twins finishing with an 81-home game total of a little more than 1.7 million tickets sold, their lowest number in a non-pandemic season since 2000, when they played at the Metrodome and finished 69-93.
Fans mostly have directed their disdain toward ownership, with deep frustration over cost cutting that came after the 2023 breakthrough Baldelli led with the end of a record 18-game postseason losing streak and the club’s first playoff series win in 21 years.
Executive chair Joe Pohlad and his family members put the franchise up for sale in 2024 but decided in August to keep control and bring on two new investment groups for an infusion of cash to help pay down debt.
New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, who held that role for the Twins under Molitor and Baldelli before leaving to become bench coach of the Miami Marlins in 2020, was one of the finalists for the managerial job. Former Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais and current Chicago Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty reportedly were in the mix, too.
Baldelli was fired the day after the regular season ended with a 527-505 record over seven years (3-8 in the postseason). The Twins won three AL Central titles under Baldelli, including their 101-61 finish in 2019 when the rookie skipper won the AL Manager of the Year award, but they made the playoffs only once in his past five seasons and frequently struggled to shepherd their top prospects into consistent contributors.
The Twins are 82-119 over their past 201 games for a .408 winning percentage, and that includes a 13-game winning streak this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.