Pirates fire manager Clint Hurdle after nine seasons

The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Clint Hurdle, the team announced before Sunday’s season finale against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the team’s decision to part ways. Rosenthal also reports that general manager Neal Huntington will be retained.

There had been conflicting reports regarding Hurdle’s status for the 2020 season. That latest word from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey was that a final decision had not been made leading up to Sunday’s finale. Hurdle still had two years remaining on his contract.

The Pirates have dealt with a lot of turmoil this season, both on and off the field. That led to speculation that Hurdle’s days might be numbered.

The veteran skipper led Pittsburgh to a 735-720 record over nine seasons, including their first winning season in 21 years back in 2013. The Pirates made three postseason appearances under Hurdle, but finished last in the NL Central in 2019.

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