The Chicago Cubs will have a new manager in the dugout for the 2024 MLB season. The team announced on Monday that they had fired David Ross and replaced him with former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell.
Ross, who had a contract through next season, leaves the franchise after four years on the job. Counsell, on the other hand, was a free agent after his deal with the Brewers expired on November 1st.
Counsell spent the past nine seasons with the Brewers and was considered one of the best managers in the game because of his ability to get the most out of a small market team. He led the franchise to five postseason appearances in the past six years, including an NL Championship Series trip in 2018.
Several manager-needy teams were interested in hiring Counsell this offseason, with many seeing the New York Mets as his next destination. However, the Cubs ended up swooping for the 53-year-old Counsell despite the fact that they weren’t considered to be in the market for a new manager.
Reportedly, the Cubs gave Counsell a five-year deal that will make him the highest-paid manager in MLB. He is set to earn a yearly salary of more than $8 million.
The Cubs won the NL Central in a shortened 2020 campaign, Ross’ first year on the job, but were swept in the NL Wild Card game against the Miami Marlins. They haven’t been to the postseason since and finished only one season above .500.
