Cubs Make Craig Counsell Highest-Paid Manager in MLB

The Chicago Cubs have made Craig Counsell the highest-paid manager in MLB. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Counsell is agreeing to a five-year contract that will be worth at least $40 million.

During the 2023 season, Counsell earned a $3.5 million salary from the Milwaukee Brewers.

HOLY SHIT! Talk about dropping your nuts on the table. Jed Hoyer begins the offseason with a bang, reportedly swooping in last minute and hiring former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell to replace David Ross.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal broke the news on Monday.

WOW!

What an incredible heist by the Cubs. Counsell had his contract expire with the Brewers following Milwaukee's playoff exit in the Wild Card round and he interviewed with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians. Earlier on Monday, the Guardians announced their new manager, former MLB catcher Stephen Vogt. That left the baseball world thinking that Counsell was either going to the Mets and join his former boss David Stearns, or remain with the Brewers.

No one. Absolutely no one had even hinted at the Cubs having interest in Counsell during the past month and obviously no report surfaced about him being interviewed. Nevertheless, the Cubs appeared to have come in last minute to pull off a monster move at the start of the offseason.

I know Cubs fans have been arguing about Ross and his managing ever since he got the job after 2019. Whatever you want to say in favor or against him, independent of Ross, there is no arguing this, the Cubs just hired the best available manager and he is clearly an upgrade in the dugout.

Counsell was making $3.5 million with the Brewers in 2023 and during his recruitment in October, reports came out that he was determined to double his salary with his next contract, which would make Counsell the highest paid manager in baseball. The Cubs didn't balk at the money and flexed their pocketbook to get one of the most respected skippers in MLB.

Quickly back to the Mets. They were obviously seen as the favorites to get Counsell because there was the Stearns connection and of course Steve Cohen in the owner's box. You have to think that the Cubs were able to steal Counsell away with the promise of having an active offseason. Counsell wasn't going to a middling team, which should make Cubs fans even more ecstatic as free agency gets underway.

If you weren't feeling optimistic about big moves from the Cubs this winter, then I think this should change your mind at least a little bit.