The Chicago Cubs fell in the second game of the Tokyo Series on Wednesday morning, thus securing a two-game sweep for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While there were several questionable decisions by the umpires which cost Chicago – including a possible fan interference on Shohei Ohtani's home run – in many ways it was the Cubs own manager which got in their way.
In the ninth inning of the Cubs loss on Wednesday, rookie Matt Shaw was at the plate with a chance to do some major damage – including tie the game if he made heavy contact. However, that's also one heck of an ask for Shaw, who is playing his first MLB games overseas. Shaw eventually grounded out to shortstop Miguel Rojas for the final out of the game...with shortstop Dansby Swanson on deck.
Of course, this is not Shaw's fault, but rather the lineup construction. Considering Counsell is the richest manager in MLB as of this writing, one can only hope he learns from this experience, as Jesse Rogers of ESPN pointed out.
Small thing but good time to wonder why a rookie is hitting ahead of a $177 million player who has 25 home run seasons on his resume. Managers/execs often wave off batting order questions. "Put your best hitters up top, they say. Its simple." You do that for this exact scenario.…
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) March 19, 2025
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray's work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Craig Counsell's decisions already falling under harsh scrutiny
I mean, look, it's the second game of the season. We shouldn't be too tough on Counsell just yet, as he's still learning this team. Organizations change each and every year, as well as the talent in the clubhouse. Counsell will tinker with the lineup prior to Opening Day and make adjustments. That's why he's so good as what he does.
Unfortunately for Counsell, this was not his only questionable choice in Tokyo. On Tuesday, Counsell removed starting pitcher Shota Imanaga with less than 70 pitches despite having given up no hits at the time. Counsell inserted Ben Brown in Imanaga's place, and the Cubs surrendered the lead as a result. Counsell's explanation for his decision was sound, but surely not good enough for fans on the north side.
“Getting to 70 was about the pitch number,” Counsell told reporters at the Tokyo Dome after the game. “That was kind of the number we had for Shota, and as he finished that [fourth] inning, it was the right time to take him out.”
Counsell also highlighted the pressure of that moment for Imanaga, who was making his first extended start of the season to that point.
“He also, I think you have to understand the energy that you use just in an environment like this,” Counsell said. “I think we saw that certainly from both guys.”
Cubs fans are some of the toughest to please in baseball. After winning the World Series in 2016, ownership operated under an order of a teardown, meaning homegrown stars like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez all left. Now that the Cubs are in position to win again, fans are growing impatient and are bound to be harsh. It's just the nature of the business.