Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Chicago Cubs are facing mounting fan frustration after a humiliating weekend loss left them trailing in the division race.
- Despite recent struggles, Craig Counsell's massive contract and strong backing from leadership make a midseason change unlikely.
- The pressure is now on the manager and two underperforming stars to justify the front office's high-stakes commitments before October.
When the boos break out at Wrigley Field, that’s when you know the Chicago Cubs are truly in trouble.
Cubs fans have lost much, if not all, of their patience with Craig Counsell’s club. An 18-3 loss to the lowly Giants this weekend drew, shall we say, some frustrated reactions from the crowd.
At 34-32, the Cubs are already 7 ½ games behind the Brewers. Chicago is only 15-20 since May 1, with concerns quickly mounting about Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson’s struggles.
Those wanting changes may eventually get their wish, though they shouldn’t plan on ownership making Counsell the scapegoat.
The Cubs almost certainly won’t fire Craig Counsell anytime soon
We’ve already seen the Red Sox and Phillies try to salvage their season with managerial changes.
Unlike Alex Cora and Rob Thomson, though, Counsell has a couple of significant factors in his favor.
Let’s start with the obvious: money. Counsell has two seasons left on a five-year, $40 million contract, the largest for a manager in MLB history.
Cubs ownership gains nothing by firing Counsell now and eating what remains of that contract, especially if a lockout impacts next season. Commence the grumbling from Cubs fans regarding possibly overpaying the manager. Keep in mind that Cubs lead baseball executive Jed Hoyer hired Counsell in 2023. Cora was seemingly always on the hot seat because Boston’s Craig Breslow inherited him.
Counsell turns 56 in August, five days after Thomson turns 63. Fair or not, Thomson always had his age working against him, even in a sport where plenty of managers have enjoyed sustained success in their 60s.
What happens if Craig Counsell and the Cubs mutually part ways?
Having absorbed all of this information, Cubs fans might be wondering what would happen if Counsell resigned after the season.
A contract is a contract, and Counsell would still get paid. The only time you’ll see a coach avoid getting compensated after a firing or resignation is if they were fired with cause. Anyone who watches college football knows all about the sport’s buyout problem.
To be clear: we are not saying that Counsell has done anything to warrant being fired with cause. The conversation may inevitably shift as to whether the Cubs made a mistake giving Counsell such a large contract, though we’re not totally ready to write him off yet.
Counsell earned the contract because he thrived in Milwaukee, turning the Brewers into a perennial playoff threat despite their budget and market size. This wasn’t an instance of a team buying high on someone with, say, two NLDS appearances and two 90-loss finishes over five years.
If it’s any consolation for the Wrigley faithful, the Cubs still have a winning record in a mediocre National League. They’re half a game back of a Wild Card spot, and they should be immensely grateful for the expanded postseason.
Now is the time for Counsell, along with Bregman and Swanson, to prove exactly why ownership went all-in on the trio. Otherwise, we’ll collectively sit in shock when the White Sox, not the Cubs, are the Chicago team playing October baseball.
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