One of the biggest stunners of the most recent MLB offseason was longtime manager Craig Counsell ditching the Milwaukee Brewers and signing a new contract to be the skipper of the rival Chicago Cubs.

Counsell's contract with the Brewers had expired, but most expected him to join former Milwaukee president of baseball operations David Stearns with the New York Mets. Instead, Counsell—a Milwaukee lifer and the face of Brewers baseball for many years as a player and manager—opted to head 90 miles south to Wrigley Field.

The first year of the Counsell era in Chicago hasn't gone as planned. The Cubs entered Friday with a 78-75 record that has them in second place in the NL Central—but 10 games behind Milwaukee, which officially clinched its second straight division title on Wednesday.

"The message sent is there's a big gap. They're ahead of us by a lot," Counsell said Thursday of the Brewers. "It's a talented team. On and off the field, it's a talented team. But there's a big gap. We've got room to make up, there's no question about it."

Milwaukee entered the 2024 campaign as underdogs in the NL Central. The Wisconsin city is the smallest market in MLB and its team has the 21st-ranked payroll at just under $115 million. The Cubs, meanwhile, hold a $229 million payroll, which ranks seventh in baseball.

"Frankly, that makes it daunting," Counsell said. "They've been good, man. For the whole division, I say that about the other teams, too. They've created a gap the last two years in the division. We've got room to go, man."

Counsell became the highest-paid manager in baseball when he signed with Chicago for five years and $40 million back in November 2023. He has plenty of work to do still to live up to that big paycheck—the top of that list being dethroning his former employer and current division rival.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Craig Counsell Admits There's a 'Big Gap' Between Cubs and Rival Brewers.