MLB Rumors: Don Mattingly Among Brewers' Candidates to Replace Craig Counsell

Following Craig Counsell's surprise move to the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers find themselves searching for a new manager going into the 2024 season.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the list of candidates being considered by the Brewers includes former Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins skipper Don Mattingly.

Counsell's decision to leave the Brewers wasn't totally unexpected. He met with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians about their managerial vacancies, while also leaving the door open to remain in Milwaukee.

The surprise was that the Cubs seemed to come in at the 11th hour to land Counsell. There was no indication they were even looking for a new manager after team president Jed Hoyer previously said David Ross would be back next season.

Mattingly is the most famous name among the candidates cited by Rosenthal. A six-time All-Star as a player, he was named NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins 2020. He went 889-950 in 12 seasons between the Marlins and Dodgers.

After leaving the Marlins following the 2022 season, Mattingly joined the Toronto Blue Jays as a bench coach.

Pat Murphy and Rickie Weeks Jr. have direct connections to the Brewers franchise. Murphy spent the past eight seasons on Counsell's staff as a bench coach.

Weeks was the No. 2 pick in the 2003 MLB draft by the Brewers. He spent 11 of his 14 MLB seasons with Milwaukee and has worked on the team's player development staff since February 2022.

Joe Espada has been working as a coach since 2010, with the exception of the 2014 season when he was hired by New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman as a special assistant. Troy Snitker just wrapped up his fifth season as hitting coach for the Houston Astros.

Clayton McCullough has been first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers since December 2020.

The Brewers went 707-625 with five playoff appearances and three NL Central titles in nine seasons with Counsell as their manager. They were swept in the NL Wild Card round by the Arizona Diamondbacks this season.