The Milwaukee Brewers and their fanbase were left shocked on Monday when it was announced that manager Craig Counsell would be departing for the Chicago Cubs.
Counsell had spent almost a decade at the helm of the Brewers, having taken over as the team's manager in 2016. However, his time in Milwaukee has come to an end.
But there are several teams that are sticking with their current managers, who really could have benefitted from having Counsell at the helm.
Instead, they kept their current managers, who have received much criticism from their fanbases.
Here are three teams that should have fired their managers to make a play for Counsell.
3. Chicago White Sox
The White Sox hired Pedro Grifol after the departure of Tony La Russa in hopes of returning to their winning ways.
Unfortunately, Grifol couldn't fix the South Siders, who finished with 101 losses and fell well short of the postseason. With Dylan Cease leading the pitching staff, the White Sox should be trying to return to contention.
And while Grifol could still help turn things around, Counsell is a proven winner who has had much success in his managerial career, guiding Milwaukee to two NL Central titles.
2. New York Yankees
The Yankees are another team that could have benefitted from having Counsell around.
Fans of the Bronx Bombers have grown frustrated with Aaron Boone, who has made countless questionable decisions during his time at the helm of the Yankees.
Under Boone, the Yankees have not won a World Series and have still yet to reach the Fall Classic since winning it all in 2009.
The Yankees missed the postseason in 2023, finishing with a record of 82-80 and coming in fourth place in the ever-competitive American League East.
Hiring a proven manager would have been a great way for the Yankees to reverse course and get back to their winning ways. However, Boone is still under contract for 2025, and Yankees fans are only growing more frustrated with the team's skipper.
This year was the first year that New York had missed the playoffs since Boone took over, but the Yankees have only reached the ALCS twice under Boone, and they have lost both times to the Houston Astros.
New York needs a proven winner and a fresh voice in their clubhouse in order to reclaim their status as a powerhouse in the American League.
1. St. Louis Cardinals
Somehow, some way, the entire Cardinals coaching staff is intact for 2024 after the team lost 91 games in 2023.
Oli Marmol was handpicked to replace Mike Shildt, who was shockingly fired after a 17-game winning streak. Marmol led the Cardinals to 93 wins in 2022 before the disaster that was the 2023 season.
Like Boone, Marmol made plenty of decision that had Cardinals fans scratching their heads. He often gave his star players "scheduled days off," while oddly prioritizing players such as Taylor Motter.
A perfect example of this came in a game on April 9 when he pulled Brendan Donovan back with the bases loaded and gave Motter the at-bat against a left-hander. Motter struck out.
Earlier in the season, Marmol also publicly criticized Tyler O'Neill's effort after the outfielder was thrown out at the plate in a game against the Atlanta Braves, drawing the ire of the fanbase.
The Cardinals made a mistake in firing Shildt and choosing Marmol, who had no managerial experience. At the very least, they could have corrected this by giving Counsell a call and choosing a manager with good experience and a winning pedigree to help get themselves back on track.
