Craig Counsell Explains Taking Cubs Manager Job: 'There Is Momentum Happening Here'

During his introductory press conference Monday, new Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell discussed his decision to leave the Milwaukee Brewers in favor of the National League Central rival Cubs.

According to Alex Shapiro of NBC Sports Chicago, Counsell explained what drew him to the Cubs organization, saying:

"From a baseball standpoint, I think I saw quickly that the organization is just in great health, and Jed presented a very compelling vision of that. It is the right time to be a Cub. There is momentum happening here, and it feels close. And that means there's a really exciting future ahead of us. Now it's my job to be part of taking us to the next level, and that's the plan."

The 53-year-old Counsell, who spent 16 MLB seasons as a utility player with five different teams and won two World Series, was the Brewers' manager for nine seasons before taking the job in Chicago.

Milwaukee went 707-625 with three NL Central titles and five playoff appearances during Counsell's tenure, but it never managed to break through with a World Series appearance.

The Brewers went 92-70 and won the division this past season before falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Wild Card Series.

Counsell managed without a contract beyond 2023, and he ultimately decided to test the open market before landing a reported five-year, $40 million contract with the Cubs.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the deal makes Counsell the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball by far at $8 million per season, as the previous high salary was $4.5 million per year.

Counsell joins a Cubs organization that has missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons after making the playoffs in five of the previous six campaigns, including their World Series-winning year of 2016.

However, to Counsell's point, the Cubs are building momentum, as they went 83-79 in 2023, marking their first winning record since 2020.

With Counsell aboard, the Cubs have a chance to reclaim the distinction of being the team to beat in the NL Central, which is a title the Brewers held in recent years.