The Chicago Cubs are hiring manager Craig Counsell from the division rival Milwaukee Brewers to replace David Ross, The Athletic and ESPN reported Monday.
Counsell, whose contract with Milwaukee expired Oct. 31, had been linked to both the New York Mets’ and Cleveland Guardians’ vacancies.
Counsell, 53, went 707-625 in nine seasons with the Cubs’ National League Central neighbors. The Brewers won three division titles in Counsell’s tenure and made a run to the NLCS in 2018, where they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.
Milwaukee went 92-70 in 2023 and won the division before being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the wild-card round.
Ross, 46, is out after four seasons managing the Cubs. He posted a 262-284 record in those seasons. The Cubs made a second-half charge this past summer to finish 83-79, but the franchise has not made the playoffs since the truncated 2020 season that featured an expanded playoff field.
The Mets hired New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza for its managerial job Monday with Counsell choosing the Cubs, and the Cleveland Guardians chose Stephen Vogt as their new manager.
