BREAKING NEWS: Counsell Leaving Brewers to Manage Cubs – The Chicago Cubs gave manager David Ross his walking papers and he waltzed out the door on Monday and hired Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell as his successor.
Counsell’s contract is for five years and $40 million, the highest salary for any MLB manager ever, sources told ESPN, confirming a report by The Athletic.
“Today we made the difficult decision to dismiss David Ross as our Major League Manager,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said in a statement. “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.”
Counsell will be introduced by the Cubs early next week, the team said.
Counsell, 53, had also interviewed for the New York Mets’ and Cleveland Guardians’ managerial openings. The Guardians hired Stephen Vogt as manager, and sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan that the Mets are hiring New York Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza as their manager.
In nine years with the Brewers, Counsell won three NL Central titles and managed Milwaukee to the postseason in five of the past six years, including a division-winning 92-70 mark in 2023. He was 707-625 overall with the Brewers during the regular season and 7-12 in the postseason. His 707 regular-season wins and 7 playoff victories are both franchise records.
Counsell’s 16-year MLB playing career included two stints with the Brewers (2004, 2007-11). He won World Series rings with the 1997 Florida Marlins and 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, and he was part of the 2008 Brewers team that earned Milwaukee its first playoff appearance since its 1982 World Series berth.
The Cubs finished 83-79 last season, second behind the Brewers.
Also…
Mets Hiring Yankees’ Mendoza as Manager – The New York Mets are hiring Carlos Mendoza as their new manager, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Mendoza, 43 years-of-age, comes to Queens after spending 15 years with the Yankees in multiple capacities, including managing in the low minor leagues in 2011-12, and the past four campaigns as Aaron Boone’s bench coach.
The Mets were a top suitor for Craig Counsell, who chose to part ways with the Milwaukee Brewers for the Chicago Cubs, sources confirmed to ESPN. With Counsell off the board, the Mets moved swiftly to snap up Mendoza, who also had interviewed with the Cleveland Guardians and San Diego Padres for their managerial openings.
A minor league player for more than ten years, Mendoza transitioned into a coaching role with the Yankees and quickly impressed the organization with his knowledge of the game and ability to relate and impart his wisdom on players. He joined the major league staff in 2018 and was Boone’s right-hand man, a role he also served for Team Venezuela in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
He takes over for Buck Showalter, who was let go after a season that started with World Series hopes ended with a 75-87 record despite the largest payroll in the history of the sport. The Mets, who also have a new president of baseball operations in David Stearns, return a number of key players, including shortstop Francisco Lindor, first baseman Pete Alonso, center fielder Brandon Nimmo, right-hander Kodai Senga and closer Edwin Diaz, and are expected to be active in the free agency market, pursuing star two-way player Shohei Ohtani from the Los Angeles Angels, among others.
After making a splash by bringing Showalter on board prior to the 2022 season, the Mets opted for a lower-profile hire in Mendoza. He stood out in the interview process, according to sources.
In previous years, Mendoza had interviewed for managerial jobs in Detroit (which chose A.J. Hinch), Boston (Alex Cora) and Chicago (Pedro Grifol). He ends up with arguably one of the best jobs available in the big leagues, as the Mets plan to carry among the highest payrolls in baseball for the foreseeable future under owner Steve Cohen and are looking for their first championship since 1986.
It is also a job that recently has had a short shelf life. The Mets’ past three managers, Showalter, Luis Rojas and Mickey Callaway, were shown the door just after two seasons on the job.
