Cubs hire Craig Counsell to replace manager David Ross
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Cubs made an unexpected change at manager Monday, firing David Ross and not looking far to hire his replacement.
Craig Counsell will be the next manager for the Cubs. As CBS 2's Marshall Harris reported, the move signals they are all in on winning right now.
The team relived former catcher Ross of his managerial duties after four seasons and replaced him with Counsell. The now-former Milwaukee Brewers manager thus becomes the highest-paid manager in the game.
It's a deal reportedly worth $40 million over the next five years. That resets the market as the highest salary for any MLB manager ever.
Counsell has led the Brewers to the playoffs in five of the last six seasons including winning division titles.
"Today we made the difficult decision to dismiss David Ross as our Major League Manager," said Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer. Hoyer on Monday afternoon. "On behalf of the Cubs organization, we express our deep gratitude for David's contributions to our club, both on and off the field. First as a player and then as a manager, David continually showcased his ability to lead. David's legacy will be felt in Chicago for generations and his impact to our organization will stack up with the legends that came before him. Going forward, our Major League team will be managed by Craig Counsell. We look forward to welcoming Craig at Wrigley Field early next week."
As CBS Sports reported, Counsell just wrapped up his ninth season with the Brewers, during which his teams have won the NL Central three times and gone to the postseason five times. Milwaukee has won just one postseason series under Counsell, however. They swept the Colorado Rockies in the 2018 Division Series.
When his contract ended in 2023, CBS Sports said he became hotly pursued by other teams including the Mets, Brewers, and Guardians, making this move to the Cubs a "shocker."
Counsell, 53, is the most successful manager in Brewers history with 707 wins. The Wisconsin native is also the longest-serving manager in Brewers history.
The Cubs were on the hunt to make the playoffs this year, but a late-season collapse eliminated them from the postseason.
Ross was hired in 2019 to replace Joe Maddon. Ross, who was a member of the Cubs World Series team in 2016, managed the Cubs for four seasons through a rebuild – as they tore down a roster that had been a contender.
The hiring of Counsell was not unlike when the Cubs fired Rick Renteria and replaced him with Maddon.
"When I heard the news, I was kind of surprised too. Quite frankly, it's an uncomfortable situation a little bit – like with Rick, and now with Craig and David. I'm sure he's thinking about this. And then I tried to reach out to Rick after I'd gotten the job," Maddon said Monday. "However, it's life-changing. It was life-changing for me. It's going to be life-changing for Craig – regarding his family, his career, et cetera. So it's both wonderful and difficult at the same time, but it really does mirror exactly what happened with me."
Ross was under contract through the 2024 season before he was relieved of his managerial duties on Monday.
His career record as manager with the Cubs was 262 wins, 284 losses.