Cubs Hire Craig Counsell as Manager on Reported Record Contract; David Ross Fired

The Chicago Cubs responded to their September collapse by firing David Ross and hiring former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell.

Rosenthal reported that the Cubs gave Counsell a five-year deal worth more than $40 million. The deal will make Counsell the highest-paid manager in MLB history, per Passan.

Meister Sports, Counsell’s agency, confirmed its client will be the highest-paid manager in the league:

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Brewers offered Counsell about half as much money as the Cubs:

Counsell was in high demand, as the Brewers, New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians all had interest in him.

The 53-year-old compiled a 707-625 record during a nine-year run in Milwaukee. The Brewers reached the postseason in five of the past six seasons, advancing to the National League Championship Series in 2018.

He will now take over a team that will try to dethrone the Brewers in the NL Central.

While Chicago outperformed expectations with an 83-79 record, a disappointing end to the season cost it a playoff spot. Plenty of blame fell on Ross’ shoulders, and fans grew frustrated with his decision-making as the season progressed.

Still, he will always have an important part of Cubs’ history even with his failed tenure as manager thanks to his role as a veteran leader on the 2016 team that won the World Series and snapped a drought that dated back to the 1908 campaign.

That was Ross’ final season of a playing career that also included stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.

It seemed like something of a ceremonious hire when Chicago brought him aboard as manager ahead of the shortened 2020 season.

The team went a combined 145-179 in his first two full seasons in 2021 and 2022, and there weren’t a ton of expectations in 2023 even though there remained some hope that the team would take a step forward and potentially set the stage for a playoff run in 2024.

Chicago got off to a slow start but caught fire in the middle of the season and seemed like a lock for the playoffs at times in September.

As Patrick Mooney of The Athletic noted, a stretch of 14 losses in 20 games and eight one-run losses in September meant the final game didn’t even matter in the standings for the Cubs. They were already eliminated by the playoff-bound Miami Marlins, and the front office decided it was time to move on from the manager.

“We’re in this together,” Ross said when accepting blame for the swoon, per Mooney. “I wouldn’t separate myself from any player, front office, coach. If we don’t get to where we want to get to, I’m the head of the team. I’m the manager of this team. The blame should come on me first.”

Every decision is magnified in those one-run losses, especially for a team that was talented enough to make the playoffs.

Chicago finished the season with a run differential of plus-96, which was the best in the National League Central and far ahead of the Marlins’ mark of minus-57. Had Ross been even slightly better, he could have parlayed the talent that was responsible for that run differential into more wins and a playoff spot.

However, questionable bunts, lineup construction and bullpen usage proved costly a number of times throughout the season.

And now Ross is out of a job, with Counsell taking his place in the Windy City.