Cubs' September collapse has Craig Counsell facing questions that won't disappear

Chicago Cubs fans want Craig Counsell on the hot seat. In fact, most of those fans probably want to move past the hot seat, and simply wake up to the news this offseason that the Cubs have a new manager. That's not happening, and blaming Counsell for what was derailed the Cubs' 2026 season would be foolish.

To be clear, that doesn't mean that Counsell has been exactly what the Cubs sold the fanbase when they poached him from the Milwaukee Brewers after the 2023 season. It's clear that the Brewers' machine is defined by the success of their organization as a whole, and not just the manager in the dugout.

It's why Cubs fans wishing the Cubs hired Pat Murphy instead of Counsell are mistaken. Murphy certainly is a good manager, it would even be justified to call him a great one, but the success of the Brewers is not tied to their manager.

Craig Counsell hasn't been perfect, but he's far from the Cubs' biggest problem moving forward

It's also ironic that when the Cubs are going right, there's never enormous praise for the job Counsell has done. A manager's value will always be debated, but any fan calling for Counsell's job after the season simply hasn't been paying attention to the roster he's been provided with.

Over the last two seasons, Counsell has lost the ace of his starting rotation in April. Justin Steele has yet to make his return from injury, and Cade Horton likely will be sidelined for most, if not, all of the 2027 season.

Considering the other injuries Counsell has been dealt with in the rotation this season, it's a miracle that the Cubs even entered September with a chance of making the playoffs. Let alone, over a 96% chance of making the playoffs.

Counsell's bullpen management has also irked Cubs fans, but again, that isn't a problem to take up with the manager. Counsell can only use the pitchers available to him. The Cubs don't have an established closer in their bullpen, and if we're being honest, they don't have a established setup man on their roster. That's an issue that falls at Jed Hoyer's feet.

Counsell does play the matchup game, and when it works, no one is going to bat an eye. But there will be times it backfires, it's inevitable in baseball, and that means there will be a time or two that a rookie with little playing time is suddenly in a high-leverage situation, as was the case with BJ Murray Jr. on Wednesday night. Personally, I would argue that such a mistake has rarely been an issue for Counsell, but it gets magnified when everything else surrounding the Cubs is headed in the wrong direction.

Where does that leave the Cubs and Counsell? the answer is simple, together.

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