Craig Counsell Contract: Cubs make MLB history with latest managerial hire

The Chicago Cubs shocked Major League Baseball on Monday when they hired Craig Counsell away from the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that made MLB history.

Jordan Campbell

Oct 3, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell (30) in the dug out / Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs immediately reset all the expectations on Monday when the team hired Craig Counsell away from the Milwaukee Brewers.

For the Cubs, this is a process that began within the past week. Counsell's contract with the Milwaukee Brewers expired on November 1 and while teams such as the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians asked the Brewers for permission to interview Counsell during October, the Cubs did not.

The Cubs needed to ask the Brewers permission to speak to Counsell before Nov.1. They did not. So this ALL came together in the last few days. Its likely to be the most expensive managerial hire in MLB history.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) November 6, 2023

There were obvious reasons why the Cubs did not want to ask the Brewers for permission as that would have tipped their National League Central rival off to their pursuit.

However, it would seem unlikely that the Brewers would have matched the contract that the Cubs offered Counsell. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that the Cubs' deal with Counsell was the largest managerial contract in the history of Major League Baseball.

Counsell getting five-year contract from Cubs worth more than $40M, league sources tell @TheAthletic. Will be highest-paid manager.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 6, 2023

There was an expectation that Counsell was going to become the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball but it was believed that would come through a deal with the Mets. Instead, the Cubs saw an opportunity to hire the best manager in baseball and they did not waste time in getting a deal.

One thing is clear, the expectations for the Cubs this off-season and entering the 2024 season have changed. The Cubs do not make this move if the team does not expect to open their contention window in full next season.

The Cubs offer an opportunity to Counsell that he did not have with the Brewers. The Brewers have never been a team to throw financial resources at their Major League Baseball team and while the Cubs have drawn criticism for their spending habits since 2018, the team does not make this move if they don't plan on being aggressive this off-season.

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Jordan Campbell

For nearly 15 years, Jordan has been a workhorse across the FanSided network - including being the inaugural site expert for Cubbies Crib, as well as a stop at Da Windy City as the site expert. In addition to returning to be a Co-Site Expert at Cubbies Crib, Jordan was previously the Site Expert at Bear Goggles On. In the years since, Jordan has joined FanSided's full-time team, serving as a staff writer for the MLB division. Jordan's work can be seen across the MLB division, including a consistent presence on our Cubs, Twins, Astros, and Tigers sites. Since 2010, Jordan has dedicated his craft to providing insightful commentary on all things Chicago sports, and he has enjoyed his venture into all things Major League Baseball.