The Chicago Cubs pulled off an absolute coup Monday afternoon when they reportedly hired former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell.
Monday began with Jon Heyman of The New York Post tweeting that Counsell had made his decision and it would be announced shortly.
The New York Mets and Brewers were reportedly the finalists.
Shortly after, the Mets reportedly hired New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, leading many to believe that this meant Counsell would remain with the Brewers, the team he has managed since 2015.
However, ESPN’s Jeff Passan immediately noted that Counsell could be leaving Milwaukee for another job, but not with the Mets.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal then chimed in that Counsell would be going to a team with an existing manager, taking the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, and San Diego Padres out of the equation.
Shortly after that, Rosenthal reported that the Chicago Cubs came from out of nowhere to hire Counsell, replacing David Ross, who had managed the team for the past four seasons.
Rosenthal also reported that Counsell will be MLB’s highest-paid manager under his new deal.
In his nine seasons in Milwaukee, Counsell managed the team to a 707-625 (.531) record, including five playoff appearances, which came in the past six years.
Social media had plenty to say about the stunning news.
Hard to believe the Cubs lost faith in David Ross and his bold managerial strategy of consistently doing dumb things. https://t.co/JN5IrrvdYa
— Jay Rigdon (@jayrigdon5) November 6, 2023
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