The Chicago Cubs have made it official, firing manager David Ross after four seasons and hiring former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell as their new skipper.
The reports first came out Monday afternoon, and the Cubs confirmed they had parted ways with Ross in a press release later in the day.
“Today we made the difficult decision to dismiss David Ross as our Major League manager,” said Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer in a statement. “On behalf of the Cubs organization, we express our deep gratitude for David’s contributions to our club, both on and off the field.”
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According to the Cubs, Counsell will be introduced to media at Wrigley Field next week.
Counsell had served as the Brewers’ manager for parts of nine seasons, leading them to five playoff appearances and an appearance in the National League Championship Series in 2018.
Widely considered one of the top managers in baseball, Counsell’s contract expired in early November, with the Cubs jumping in and reportedly signing him to the richest deal in MLB history.
Ross, who concluded his playing career with a World Series championship with the Cubs in 2016, became their manager after the team opted now to re-sign Joe Maddon following the 2019 campaign.
MLB
In four seasons, Ross posted a record of 262-284, and led the Cubs to a National League Central crown in 2020. He also led the team to an 83-79 record in the 2023 campaign.