Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell got off to a rough start to the season in the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, as we knew then and has since been confirmed via their three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers, the Dodgers are very good at baseball. They are the defending World Series champions for a reason, and were playing in front of a friendly crowd in Tokyo thanks to Japanese superstars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
That was a no-win situation for Counsell and the Cubs. In Chicago's two losses, Counsell made a few questionable decisions, such as his lineup construction placing far too much pressure on Matt Shaw and removing Shota Imanaga too early in the first game of the season. Those mistakes are bound to happen early in any campaign. The 2025 Cubs are different than the 2024 version. Jed Hoyer and the front office made moves they hope add to Counsell's arsenal, and thus ends in a Chicago playoff run. Counsell is still learning his team in late March.
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Brewers fans hit with fresh dose of reality on Saturday against the Yankees
Yet, because this is Counsell, who left Milwaukee for the Cubs prior to the 2024 season for a record-breaking contract, some Brewers fans took joy in his mistakes from that opening series. It's tough to blame them, as Counsell was public enemy No. 1 in Milwaukee during his first season with the Cubs. The comments on one social media post (courtesy of us here at FanSided) were telling:
"Ha ha!!! Not the Brewers problem anymore!!! Enjoy Cubs fans!!!" one Facebook user wrote.
"CC best manager in the game proving it once again…" another wrote.
You get the idea. Unfortunately, Brewers fans could not keep that same energy this weekend, as they lost their first two games to the New York Yankees. The second of those losses came in rather embarrassing fashion, as Milwaukee gave up nine home runs – a Yankees record, mind you – in the Bronx. Aaron Judge had three of those blasts to his name. Nestor Cortes's Milwaukee debut went about as poorly as possible, and he was nowhere to be found postgame.
All the Brewers social media admin could do was tweet that the game went final, without any indication of the scoreline. I can't say I blame them.
Today's game has ended.
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 29, 2025
Over the course of a 162-game season, there will be plenty of highs and lows, but it's tough to envision a moment more embarrassing for his Brewers pitching staff than what they went through on Saturday.