PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO

Pirates Manager Derek Shelton is out.

Pirates Bench Coach Don Kelly is in as the new manager.

That was the news from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in what team owner Bob Nutting called a first quarter of the season that has been “frustrating and painful for all of us.”

“Derek is a good man who did a lot for the Pirates and Pittsburgh, but it was time for a change,” Nutting said in a statement.

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“Derek worked incredibly hard and sacrificed a lot over five-plus years. His family became a big part of the Pirates family, and we will miss that,” Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington said in a statement. “He’s an incredibly smart, curious, and driven baseball leader. I believe he was the right person for the job when he was hired. I also believe that a change is now necessary. I wish Derek and his family all the best in their next chapter.”

Cherrington said Kelly is the right person to manage the team at this moment. “He has the skills and experience needed to do this job very well and deeply cares about the Pirates and Pittsburgh. I look forward to working with him even more closely.”

Shelton’s firing comes 38 games into his sixth year as manager. His record this season for the first quarter is 12-26.

The Pirates’ last winning season was in 2013, with a record of 94-68.