For the past few weeks, Craig Counsell's decision on his managerial future had been one of the biggest headlines in the MLB (aside from, you know, the MLB Playoffs and the World Series). After a hectic Monday morning filled with tons of speculation about his decision, Counsell shocked the world and decided to leave the Milwaukee Brewers to go join the Chicago Cubs instead.

Early on Monday, it seemed like the race for Counsell had come down to the Brewers and New York Mets after the Cleveland Guardians hired Stephen Vogt. The Mets then hired Carlos Mendoza, seemingly confirming that Counsell would return to Milwaukee. That quickly was proven to be incorrect, though, as Craig Counsell was said to be joining a team that already had a manager. That team turned out to be the Cubs, and Counsell's move to replace David Ross has unsurprisingly stunned the collective MLB world.

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Craig Counsell spent nine seasons as the Brewers manager, and quickly became one of the most well-respected managers in the game, turning the Brewers into a top contender in the National League Central on a yearly basis. His decision to join the Cubs is surprising for several reasons, chief among them being that Chicago is one of Milwaukee's top rivals, and the fact that they had Ross seemingly set in stone as their manager already.

This is one of the most shocking managerial developments in recent memory, and it will add another layer to the Cubs and Brewers division rivalry. If Counsell's move to Chicago is any sign, we could be in for an extremely wild MLB offseason, and things will only get crazier in the upcoming weeks once free agency fully gets going.