MLB: The pressure is on for most-recently hired mangers

Let’s face it, these two MLB teams are lucky to have found someone for the job.

Derek Shelton — Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates hired Shelton — a former bench coach for the Minnesota Twins — on November 27, as part of what was essentially an organizational overhaul this past winter. A new manager, GM, and team president all in the span of roughly a month, though that’ll happen when you post the worst season in almost a decade. The Clint Hurdle led Pirates finished just 69-93 in 2019.

So no, Shelton is in no danger at this point. The Buccos have finished with a losing record in three of its last four seasons, they’ve watched traded-away prospects flourish elsewhere (ala Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow), and the team enters the 2020 campaign with the third-smallest payroll in the majors — at roughly $58.2 million.

Frankly, it’s difficult to tell whether or not Pittsburgh is even trying at this point, which led to the MLBPA filing an anti-tanking grievance against them back in early March. Starling Marte is gone (traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks this past offseason), Andrew McCutchen is long gone, and the Pirates biggest offseason addition was a 35-year-old outfielder and career .247 hitter Jarrod Dyson. Shelton’s job should be safe no matter what happens (well, thanks to the Astros… that’s probably not completely true).

Mike Matheny — Kansas City Royals

Basically the frontrunner for the job since the position opened, Matheny joined the Royals on Halloween last year, replacing the retired Ned Yost, who spent ten seasons in Kansas City. Whether Yost called it quits or not, it was probably time, as the Royals managed just 58 and 59 wins in both 2018 and 2019, respectively (the team’s worst two-year performance since 2004-05, when they won 58 and 56, respectively).

Like Shelton and the Pirates above, Matheny enters 2020 with very little to work with. Kansas City’s only free-agent signing this offseason was a one-year, $2.95 million deal for third baseman Maikel Franco (granted, they did trade for a once prized prospect pitcher in Chance Adams). However, a potential 1-2 WAR third baseman and a busted prospect aren’t going to cut it. KC enters the season with the 26th-ranked 2020 payroll, checking in at just $82.5 million.

There are those that could point to Matheny’s time with the Cardinals as a possible wart on his managing reputation, possibly making his seat a bit warmer if the Royals fail to immediately meet expectations going forward. But even with his past apparent issues operating a bullpen, and old-school approach in general, it’s hard to criticize three division titles and a World Series appearance through six in-a-half seasons in St. Louis (2012-18). Matheny may not be the Bobby Cox of Kansas City, but it’s going to take a whole lot of losing for his butt to get even remotely hot.