The Pittsburgh Pirates have fired manager Clint Hurdle. Hurdle trying to run a power play earlier this week in saying he received assurances he would be back in 2020, now see’s him getting a pink slip and Neal Huntington keeping his job.

“This has been a challenging season on many levels,” Huntington said in a statement of firing Hurdle. “We are committed to assessing and improving upon our operations at all levels in order to return postseason baseball to Pittsburgh.”

The 62 year old Hurdle had run his course as manager after four straight seasons of missing the playoffs. Hired in November 2010, Hurdle and his staff posted a 735-720-1 record in nine seasons with the Pirates. Pittsburgh has made the postseason just three times in the last 24 seasons as Hurdle’s tenure will be remembered for that three year run in 2013-2015, especially the 2013 season where the wildcard win is a memory that will always be with Pirates fans and the casual baseball fan in town.

But, the three year run didn’t deserve to grant Hurdle the luxury those close to the situation say Hurdle believed he had in that he would be the one to make the decision on when he was going to be done managing the Pirates. Pittsburgh had to make a change and they’ve stepped up To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!