In this age of information, it is rare to genuinely blindside sports fans. But that notion got thrown out the window on Monday, as the baseball world is still processing the shocking decision by Craig Counsell to leave the Milwaukee Brewers for the Chicago Cubs. Brandon Woodruff put it best.

“Lord have mercy,” the Brewers All-Star pitcher said, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Todd Rosiak. While that reaction is bound to elicit plenty of chuckles from those reading it, there is little humor surrounding American Family Field right now.

Counsell heading out the door was a distinct possibility, if not likelihood, considering the ample interest the New York Mets had in pairing the respected skipper with his former boss in David Stearns. But spurning the place you've called home for nearly a decade to join a divisional rival that just finished behind you in the standings is not something fans will easily forget.

The Cubs unarguably have better resources than the Brewers- ranking significantly higher in expected payroll for 2024- and are paying Counsell the highest annual managerial salary in MLB history. Despite winning just one playoff series in five appearances, he is renown for squeezing the most out of his team. Chicago clearly believes the success of that philosophy will only be amplified in a major market.

With high-end talents like Brandon Woodruff still on the roster, the Brewers can maintain the strong pitching identity that defined them during the Craig Counsell era. But they were headed towards uncertain times even before this move. If a long-term extension cannot be reached with ace Corbin Burnes, Woodruff's future in Milwaukee, and that of the franchise, could be far more precarious than a 92-win 2023 season indicates.