NL Central

Craig Counsell left Milwaukee this week to become manager of the Chicago Cubs, and while Brewers owner Mark Attanasio was left stunned by the decision, he acknowledged while speaking with reporters that he doesn't feel "betrayed."

"Definitely not betrayed," Attanasio said, per ESPN. "I'm so high on what we have that I can't imagine somebody wanting to be somewhere else. ... Our goal for our family is for me and my sons to be the stewards for the community for a long time, and then hopefully past 2050, someone else will have the same emotion for the team, the community that's very special.

"From the first day I got here, there's no place in the country like Milwaukee."

The Cubs fired manager David Ross on Monday and replaced him with Counsell, who agreed to a record-setting five-year, $40 million contract, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Counsell became a free agent on Oct. 31 when his contract with the Brewers expired, but the most likely outcome for his next move was either staying in Milwaukee or joining the New York Mets, Passan added.

Counsell had spent the last 17 years with the Brewers. He spent the final five seasons of his playing career in Milwaukee from 2007-11 before taking a job in the front office as special assistant to then-general manager Doug Melvin in 2012.

The 53-year-old was eventually hired as manager in 2015, replacing Ron Roenicke.

In his nine seasons as manager, Counsell led the Brewers to a 707-625 record, three National League Central titles and five playoff appearances, including a berth in the 2018 NL Championship Series, where they fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Attanasio confirmed that the Brewers previously offered Counsell a contract that "would have made him the highest-paid manager in baseball, both per season and the total package."

"I felt very good about that, and he made a decision to go another direction," Attanasio said.

Counsell will now coach the rival Cubs, which haven't reached the playoffs since the 2020 campaign. However, after finishing the 2023 season with an 83-79 record—the club's first winning season since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign—things are certainly looking up in Chicago.

Following Craig Counsell's surprise move to the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers find themselves searching for a new manager going into the 2024 season.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the list of candidates being considered by the Brewers includes former Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins skipper Don Mattingly.

Among those Brewers considering to replace Craig Counsell, according to sources briefed on club’s thinking: Bench coaches Pat Murphy (MIL), Don Mattingly (TOR) and Joe Espada (HOU); Dodgers 1B coach Clayton McCullough; Astros hitting coach Troy Snitker; former Brewers 2B Rickie…

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 7, 2023

Counsell's decision to leave the Brewers wasn't totally unexpected. He met with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians about their managerial vacancies, while also leaving the door open to remain in Milwaukee.

The surprise was that the Cubs seemed to come in at the 11th hour to land Counsell. There was no indication they were even looking for a new manager after team president Jed Hoyer previously said David Ross would be back next season.

Mattingly is the most famous name among the candidates cited by Rosenthal. A six-time All-Star as a player, he was named NL Manager of the Year with the Marlins 2020. He went 889-950 in 12 seasons between the Marlins and Dodgers.

After leaving the Marlins following the 2022 season, Mattingly joined the Toronto Blue Jays as a bench coach.

Pat Murphy and Rickie Weeks Jr. have direct connections to the Brewers franchise. Murphy spent the past eight seasons on Counsell's staff as a bench coach.

Weeks was the No. 2 pick in the 2003 MLB draft by the Brewers. He spent 11 of his 14 MLB seasons with Milwaukee and has worked on the team's player development staff since February 2022.

Joe Espada has been working as a coach since 2010, with the exception of the 2014 season when he was hired by New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman as a special assistant. Troy Snitker just wrapped up his fifth season as hitting coach for the Houston Astros.

Clayton McCullough has been first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers since December 2020.

The Brewers went 707-625 with five playoff appearances and three NL Central titles in nine seasons with Counsell as their manager. They were swept in the NL Wild Card round by the Arizona Diamondbacks this season.

Milwaukee Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio was far from thrilled about Craig Counsell's agreement to become the new manager of the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs will hire Brewers manager Craig Counsell as their next manager, per @MLBNetwork insider Joel Sherman. pic.twitter.com/S2OwIzSFj4

— MLB (@MLB) November 6, 2023

"We've lost Craig (to Chicago), but I've reflected on this—Craig has lost us and lost our community," Attanasio said, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Counsell previously served as the Brewers' manager since 2015, leading the organization to a record of 707-625 in nine years.

His contract with Milwaukee expired on Oct. 31, although many predicted that he would simply sign a new deal to remain with the team or join the New York Mets. This was mainly due to the Mets hiring David Stearns to be their president of baseball operations, as Stearns had served as the general manager of Counsell's Brewers since 2015.

Instead, the Chicago Cubs swooped in with a monumental offer to bring in the revered skipper. Counsell signed a five-year contract worth more than $40 million that instantly makes him the highest-paid manager in baseball, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

In a corresponding move, the Cubs fired incumbent manager David Ross.

Chicago hasn't made the postseason since 2020, although the team's record has improved in each of the past three years. The Cubs also currently own the No. 1 farm system in MLB, according to FanGraphs.

The Chicago Cubs responded to their September collapse by firing David Ross and hiring former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell.

The #Cubs today made the following announcement: pic.twitter.com/rDlYHHQIrj

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) November 6, 2023

The move was first reported by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Rosenthal reported that the Cubs gave Counsell a five-year deal worth more than $40 million. The deal will make Counsell the highest-paid manager in MLB history, per Passan.

Meister Sports, Counsell's agency, confirmed its client will be the highest-paid manager in the league:

This afternoon it was reported that longtime client and #MSMFam Craig Counsell had come to an agreement on a 5-year deal, with the Chicago Cubs organization, that will make him highest paid manager in the sport. We are thrilled to confirm those reports to be true!

— Meister Sports (@Meister_Sports) November 6, 2023

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Brewers offered Counsell about half as much money as the Cubs:

Craig Counsell's 5-year, $40 million contract from the Chicago Cubs was about twice as much as the Milwaukee Brewers' offer to retain Counsell.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 6, 2023

Counsell was in high demand, as the Brewers, New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians all had interest in him.

The 53-year-old compiled a 707-625 record during a nine-year run in Milwaukee. The Brewers reached the postseason in five of the past six seasons, advancing to the National League Championship Series in 2018.

He will now take over a team that will try to dethrone the Brewers in the NL Central.

While Chicago outperformed expectations with an 83-79 record, a disappointing end to the season cost it a playoff spot. Plenty of blame fell on Ross' shoulders, and fans grew frustrated with his decision-making as the season progressed.

Still, he will always have an important part of Cubs' history even with his failed tenure as manager thanks to his role as a veteran leader on the 2016 team that won the World Series and snapped a drought that dated back to the 1908 campaign.

That was Ross' final season of a playing career that also included stops with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.

It seemed like something of a ceremonious hire when Chicago brought him aboard as manager ahead of the shortened 2020 season.

The team went a combined 145-179 in his first two full seasons in 2021 and 2022, and there weren't a ton of expectations in 2023 even though there remained some hope that the team would take a step forward and potentially set the stage for a playoff run in 2024.

Chicago got off to a slow start but caught fire in the middle of the season and seemed like a lock for the playoffs at times in September.

And then it collapsed.

As Patrick Mooney of The Athletic noted, a stretch of 14 losses in 20 games and eight one-run losses in September meant the final game didn't even matter in the standings for the Cubs. They were already eliminated by the playoff-bound Miami Marlins, and the front office decided it was time to move on from the manager.

"We're in this together," Ross said when accepting blame for the swoon, per Mooney. "I wouldn't separate myself from any player, front office, coach. If we don't get to where we want to get to, I'm the head of the team. I'm the manager of this team. The blame should come on me first."

Every decision is magnified in those one-run losses, especially for a team that was talented enough to make the playoffs.

Chicago finished the season with a run differential of plus-96, which was the best in the National League Central and far ahead of the Marlins' mark of minus-57. Had Ross been even slightly better, he could have parlayed the talent that was responsible for that run differential into more wins and a playoff spot.

However, questionable bunts, lineup construction and bullpen usage proved costly a number of times throughout the season.

And now Ross is out of a job, with Counsell taking his place in the Windy City.

Veteran starting pitcher Marcus Stroman's time with the Chicago Cubs is reportedly over after two seasons.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Monday that the Cubs "say they don't have any intention to bring back" Stroman after he declined his $21 million option for the 2024 campaign.

Stroman originally signed a three-year contract worth $71 million with the Cubs prior to the 2022 season. He was named Chicago's Opening Day starter this year and he earned his second career selection to the All-Star Game. However, injuries derailed his promising season.

Stroman had a 2.28 ERA in 98.2 innings over his first 16 starts in 2023 before being slowed by a blister, a hip injury and a fracture in his right rib cartilage. Over his final 11 appearances, he had an astronomical 8.29 ERA in 38 innings of work. Overall, he finished the 2023 season with a 10-9 record, a 3.95 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP and 119 strikeouts in 136.2 innings.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer summed up Stroman's season during his wrap-up press conference:

"He was exceptionally good and a candidate to start the [All-Star] Game. And then, really, kind of post-London I think he kind of really never got it back on track. He struggled in July and then obviously was hurt for August. And I gave him a lot of credit for working hard and trying to come back, but he never quite got back to where it was. And so I think that's the only way to look at his season–he was really crucial for us in the first half. But then, obviously, we certainly could have used him in the second half, but he was injured and unable to help us."

Stroman likely will be one of the top starting pitchers on the open market this offseason. If he can stay healthy, he can surely help any team contend for a playoff spot in 2024.

Joey Votto said an emotional goodbye to Cincinnati Sunday after 17 seasons with the Reds.

Votto thanked the Cincinnati community in a video posted the day after the Reds declined the veteran first baseman's 2024 club option.

"After yesterday's news, I just wanted to say thank you," Votto said. "If this is the last time I'll play as a Cincinnati Red, I want to speak out loud my gratitude."

Votto played in 2,056 games for the Reds between 2007 and 2003 in what he called "the best stretch of my entire life."

"I'll always be a Cincinnati Red," Votto said. "The memories are endless. The growth as an individual, I'm so thankful."

pic.twitter.com/b6by6rXPKP

— Joey Votto (@JoeyVotto) November 5, 2023

Votto was named an All-Star six times, most recently in 2018. His first nomination came during in 2020, when he was named NL MVP after leading the league with a .424 on-base percentage.

The following campaign, Votto won the 2011 Gold Glove Award after ranking third in the NL with a .996 fielding percentage. He was the first Reds first baseman in history to win the award.

The Reds declined Votto's $20 million contract option for 2024 while offering him a $7 million buyout, making Votto a free agent for the first time in his MLB career.

He will walk away from Cincinnati trailing only Pete Rose for the most total bases (3,706), doubles (459) and home runs (356) in franchise history.

The Cincinnati Reds announced Saturday they declined Joey Votto's $20 million club option for the 2024 MLB season.

The #Reds today declined the 2024 club option on the contract of 1B Joey Votto. pic.twitter.com/ACika5Oum7

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) November 4, 2023

The six-time All-Star addressed the Reds' decision on Sunday morning and discussed the importance of Cincinnati:

pic.twitter.com/b6by6rXPKP

— Joey Votto (@JoeyVotto) November 5, 2023

Votto addressed his future on the Dan Patrick Show in October. He said he was looking to play at least one more year and hoped to return to Cincinnati. He acknowledged the latter was out of his hands because of the team option.

Votto continued to perform at a reasonably high level in 2023 given his age (40). In 65 games, he had 14 home runs, 38 RBI and slugged .433, and he was almost right at the league average in OPS+ (99), per Baseball Reference.

There's no question the 2010 National League MVP's skills have diminished. His .202 average and .314 on-base percentage were career lows, and his strikeout rate eclipsed 25 percent for the second straight year, per FanGraphs.

Votto missed the start of the campaign while continuing to recover from his 2022 shoulder surgery, and he landed on the injured list in August when an issue with the shoulder flared up.

The Reds had to consider whether the current version of Votto was worth a $20 million salary. Granted, the real cost to the team was only $13 million since his option carried a $7 million buyout.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer argued Votto's value more than covered that amount. Beyond what he does on the field, his status as a Reds legend carries a tangible benefit for the franchise. A not insignificant number of fans come to see him play, and his leadership in the clubhouse can be crucial with such a young roster around him.

"It's incredible. It just keeps getting better," Jake Fraley said in June in reference to the first baseman's impending 2023 debut. "Another guy who understands and has been a part of that culture aspect and building that. To be able to have a guy like that with his presence in the clubhouse is just going to make things even better."

The Reds' future looks bright considering Elly De La Cruz, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain, Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott are all 24 or younger. But it's always important to balance youth and potential with experience. That added to the difficulty in reaching a final decision over Votto's option.

Excepting 2021, Votto's performance has been largely the same the last five years. Here's his final OPS+ since 2019: 95, 107, 139, 89 and 99. The 2024 season will presumably be a continuation of the trend, with his decline potentially be more pronounced.

But the Reds might come to regret not signing on for an 18th year of the Joey Votto Experience.

The Milwaukee Brewers may have been managed by Craig Counsell since 2015, but that doesn't necessarily mean the team will get a discount.

Counsell "will not be compelled to take a hometown discount" because of his motivation to reset the market for MLB managers, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Curt Hogg and Todd Rosiak.

Since his Brewers contract expired Tuesday, Counsell has interviewed with the New York Mets and Cleveland Guardians.

Counsell will stay with the Brewers, Hogg and Rosiak reported— but only if Milwaukee matches the top offer he could get from another team.

That offer is most likely to come from New York, where Mets owner Steve Cohen assembled the most expensive team in MLB history last season.

Counsell has led the Brewers to five playoff appearances in the last six season and holds an all-time 707-625 record.

He holds the franchise record for the most wins in Brewers history and finished second in voting for NL Manager of the Year in 2019 and 2021.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, six MLB managers earned less than $1 million in 2023, while an additional nine earned $1.75 million or less.

At the beginning of October, just six MLB managers were set to make more than $3 million per year in 2024, per Nightengale.

Counsell will likely be added to that list. He made $3.5 million in 2023 and is "seeking to at least double" that amount next year, according to Hogg and Rosiak.

If Counsell finds a team willing to pay him upwards of $7 million, it will mark a new high for MLB managers. According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, former Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona's $4.5 million annual salary made him the highest-paid manager in the MLB last season.

It could be time for the market to shift. Some MLB managers could currently get a raise by managing a college baseball team instead. Ten college baseball managers earn an annual salary of $1.2 million or more, according to Nightengale.

In addition to the Mets, Guardians and Brewers, Hogg previously reported the Houston Astros have expressed interest in bidding for Counsell.

Hogg and Rosiak expect talks between the Brewers and their former manager to "ramp up" as annual GM meetings take place in Scottsdale, Arizona from November 7-9.

Expected to be one of the hottest managerial candidates of this cycle, Milwaukee Brewers skipper Craig Counsell has "serious" interest in the top job with the New York Mets, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman and Mike Puma.

Counsell, 53, is set to have his contract expire with the Brewers this week but the organization are allowing him to interview with other teams while still hoping to keep him in town.

He was in Cleveland on Monday to interview with the Cleveland Guardians, according to The Athletic's Zack Meisel and Will Sammon.

While Counsell has some deep ties to Milwaukee, having grown up there while his father was the Brewers' community relations director and still lives there with his wife and four children, several sources told Heyman and Puma that Counsell and his wife really like New York.

It also doesn't hurt that the Mets' have much deeper pockets than Milwaukee and that Counsell has a great working relationship with the organization's new baseball president David Stearns, who left the Brewers at the end of the regular season. He reportedly has Counsell right up at the top of his list of candidates.

The Brewers are still very much in play, however and made an offer soon after the season ended, Counsell chose to look over all his options.

If he does take the job in New York, Counsell would be replacing Buck Showalter, who was fired by Stearns at the end of a disappointing season.

Based on the interest, it's expected that Counsell will become baseball's highest-paid manager.

Since Counsell took over in Milwaukee back in 2015, he's found tremendous success, racking up a record of 707-625 while clinching three NL Central division titles, including one in 2023.

He even managed to lead the organization to the NLCS in 2018, a first since the Brewers switched over to the National League in 1998.

The San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto has already been in trade rumors as his team's offseason has gotten underway, and it appears the Chicago Cubs could be in the mix.

Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported that the Cubs "will be involved in the trade sweepstakes for Padres star outfielder Juan Soto" and that the team is prioritizing the addition of a big bat to the middle of the lineup.

Soto has one year of arbitration remaining before he hits unrestricted free agency, but the Cubs are exactly the type of big-market team that would be a contender for Soto during that period, so solidifying his services a year early could be a huge incentive for the franchise.

The Cubs currently have a total payroll of $189 million, per Spotrac, and notably gave a lucrative contract to shortstop Dansby Swanson in the 2022 offseason. That shows that the team is willing to spend on the right player, and Soto's potential with the team could be huge.

The 25-year-old has a career .284 average with 160 home runs and 483 RBIs. He hit .275 with 35 home runs and 109 RBIs on an underachieving Padres team in 2023, so he is a pretty safe bet for solid production. His career totals also match up quite well with others who have had success with the organization.

Some Cubs fans have a skewed sense of the level of impact hitter Juan Soto is. On the left is the best three year stretch of Kris Bryant’s career. On the right is Juan Soto’s whole career. Having Soto is like having a better MVP caliber Kris Bryant every season. pic.twitter.com/GYlxMN1Dws

— Greg Zumach (@IvyFutures) October 28, 2023

Chicago appears to be a team on the rise, going 83-79 and just missing out on the final Wild Card spot in the National League. This was a surprise as the team was expected to be a season or two away from contention, but strong performances from players like Cody Bellinger, Justin Steele and Nico Hoerner showed the team's potential going forward.

Bellinger's future with the team seems in doubt as he nears unrestricted free agency, but his performance specifically fuels how Soto could thrive at Wrigley Field. The left-handed Bellinger had a resurgent year in 2023, and the younger Soto could be a breakout candidate if he played 81 games at the hitter-friendly ballpark.

The Cubs also have the pieces to make a trade happen as the team has a top-ranked farm system and an intriguing roster player in outfielder Christopher Morel, who Levine reported the Padres are interested in.

The Cubs could make a splash by acquiring and extending Soto to stay competitive in the NL Central going forward, and that decision could be one that serves the team very well.