Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Under Fire for Latest In-Game Decisions
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The Chicago Cubs continue to fall farther behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.
Chicago's loss Thursday means it entered Friday eight games behind Milwaukee with just 42 games remaining. Cubs' manager Craig Counsell was under quite the heat Thursday after some questionable decision making in the late stages of Chicago's 2-1 loss.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 29: Manager Craig Counsell #11 of the Chicago Cubs speaks to the media before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 29, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin....
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 29: Manager Craig Counsell #11 of the Chicago Cubs speaks to the media before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on July 29, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. MoreCounsell elected to leave left fielder Ian Happ at the plate in the top of the eighth inning with two men on base and nobody out. On the mound for the Blue Jays was left-hander Brendan Little and, to say it kindly, Happ has struggled against lefties this season.
A slash line of .228/.329/.341 would be one of the worst ever for Happ against lefties, and many fans were wanting to see Counsell use the veteran Justin Turner in the spot.
Turner was brought to Chicago to hit left-handed pitching and he's done it quite well this season when given the opportunity. Turner entered Thursday with a slash line of .299/.341/.481 with all three of his home runs coming against southpaws.
Happ would ultimately strike out and the opinions flying across social media for the remainder of the day were rather unpleasant.
When the Cubs have men on T8 down 2-1 why do you let Ian Happ hit right handed? He is struggling + that's his worst side. Why is Justin Turner here? What does Craig Counsell do for 8 million? Vastly overrated so far. #TakeThat#NoTacticalAdvantage https://t.co/39dtN9fLtN — David Kaplan (@thekapman) August 15, 2025
Kaplan wasn't the only Chicago media member left disappointed with Counsell as Matt Spiegs of 670 The Score was also unhappy about Thursday's lineup construction as a whole.
.@MattSpiegs really disliked Craig Counsell's lineup today, believing Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner should've been higher in the Cubs order and that Ian Happ shouldn't have been in the No. 2 spot. pic.twitter.com/IBIAV17BdF — 670 The Score (@670TheScore) August 14, 2025
It was the most recent boiling point in what has been a rough post All-Star break stretch for a Cubs team that looked like one of the best in baseball.
Chicago's weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates could be a chance for the team to regroup before its biggest series of the season begins Monday. The Cubs will welcome in the division-leading Brewers for a rare five-game series that could ultimately end any chance of Chicago claiming an NL Central title.
If the Cubs are outclassed and overpowered by Milwaukee during the series, Counsell may find himself on the hot seat and trying not to be fired before next season.
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