PHOENIX — Robert Nutting was given approval Thursday by baseball owners to take control of the Pittsburgh Pirates from Kevin McClatchy, who will remain the team's chief executive officer.

Nutting, already the chairman of the board, is the son of Wheeling, W.Va., newspaper owner G. Ogden Nutting, whose family has been one of the Pirates' primary investors under McClatchy. Nutting last week said the family owns a majority interest in the club.

"I think this is just a natural change," commissioner Bud Selig said. "Kevin McClatchy, to his everlasting credit, has really run that club through very difficult times for a small market. And he really did it with a lot of grace."