MESA, Ariz. — All baseball seasons are a roller-coaster ride to some degree, but Craig Counsell’s first season as manager of the Cubs was especially up and down.
Counsell and the Cubs stunned the baseball world last offseason, when he left his hometown Milwaukee Brewers after becoming that franchise’s all-time winningest manager over eight-plus seasons to head down I-94 and take over the Cubs.
Given all the success he had in Milwaukee, expectations certainly shot skyward for the Cubs in 2024 once they nabbed Counsell, widely regarded as one of the best managers in the game.
It didn’t quite work out that way, however.
There were times last season when the Cubs looked like a National League contender, but they never could really put it all together for long stretches, hampered by a leaky bullpen early and an inconsistent offense throughout the season.
They rallied in the second half to get themselves at least in the NL playoff conversation. But they ultimately finished with an 83-79 record for the second year in a row and missed the postseason for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
Now, going into the 2025 season, Counsell has a full calendar year with the Cubs under his belt as the franchise looks to get back in the postseason and be among the NL’s top teams again.
In a one-on-one interview from the team’s spring training complex in Mesa, Ariz., on Sunday, Counsell told Josh Frydman of GN Sports he now has more of a comfort level with the team going into Year 2 (see video player above for full clip).
“The biggest thing for me is there’s a comfort level walking into the building and knowing everybody’s name and having a relationship,” Counsell said. “Growing those relationships is vitally important. That’s what you’re doing here, is you’re developing relationships to help people perform.”
The Cubs will begin their schedule early when they travel to Tokyo to take on the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a two-game series on March 18 and 19 to officially open the 2025 MLB regular season.
“It’s an incredible opportunity,” Counsell said. “There’s no other way to see it. It’s an incredible cultural trip for our guys.
“It’s an incredible baseball trip. We get to play the world champions in a country where two of our teammates (Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga) are heroes. And then it’s just a team-bonding trip.”
It will also be the first chance for Cubs fans to watch newly-acquired outfielder Kyle Tucker play in games that count. Tucker, an American League All-Star each of the last three seasons, was acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros in December.
Tucker has just one year left on his contract before he’s a free agent, so his time with the Cubs could be short, depending on what happens. But by trading for an All-Star who’s about to hit free agency, Counsell says the Cubs sent a message they’re playing to win right now.
“When you trade for players that have one year left until they’re a free agent, those are ‘win-now’ trades,” he said. “And you don’t really have to say anything more than that.”
More from Counsell on the trip to Japan and the acquisition of Tucker below:
Finally, Counsell discussed a pastime that’s become popular among the Cubs coaching staff during spring training — pickleball, of course.
“It’s fun, a little competitive, and you don’t feel like you’re going to hurt yourself,” Counsell said.
See more below:
While Counsell begins his second season with the Cubs, on the other side of town, Will Venable is going into his first season as manager of the White Sox.
Frydman will be at White Sox camp on Monday to chat with Venable. Watch Monday night’s GN Sports to watch!