When the 2026 season begins, Craig Counsell will be entering his third year as manager of the Chicago Cubs. While he managed to take the franchise to the playoffs in 2025, Counsell and company are looking for a much deeper run come 2026.
As the manager looks for guidance, he has turned to Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. Known for his intensity, one of Mazzulla's latest quotes caught Counsell's eye. Now he is using it to help everyone on the Cubs move forward, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
“[Celtics head coach] Joe Mazzulla, who is one of my favorite coaches, said, ‘I go to bed questionable and wake up probable.’ None of us are guaranteed anything, and that's really a great way to put it,” Counsell said. “Like, why am I worried about what's going to happen? I have to make sure I wake up the next day, so let's just worry about what's going on right now.”
The Cubs' 92 wins in 2025 were their most since 2018. However, their NLDS ouster showed Chicago brass that some changes still needed to be made. While the team lost Kyle Tucker to the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency, the Cubs stayed active in improving their roster.
Offensively, Chicago made a big splash by signing free agent third baseman Alex Bregman. Coming off an All-Star campaign with the Boston Red Sox, Bregman will fill a crucial role in the middle of the Cubs' lineup.
In terms of their pitching staff, Chicago saw the surprise return of Shota Imanaga. Then, they landed Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins. With pitchers like Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton available as well, the Cubs are feeling more confident in their pitching department.
As the season goes on, it'll be up to Counsell to put the pieces together. But the manager is fully aware of the task ahead of him and is prepared to attack everyday with that Mazzulla-like intensity.
