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.<\/p>\n
As the manager looks for guidance, he has turned to Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. Known for his intensity, one of Mazzulla\u2019s latest quotes caught Counsell\u2019s eye. Now he is using it to help everyone on the Cubs move forward, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201c[Celtics head coach] Joe Mazzulla, who is one of my favorite coaches, said, \u2018I go to bed questionable and wake up probable.\u2019 None of us are guaranteed anything, and that\u2019s really a great way to put it,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cLike, why am I worried about what\u2019s going to happen? I have to make sure I wake up the next day, so let\u2019s just worry about what\u2019s going on right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cubs\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019 lineup.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
As the season goes on, it\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\ud83d\udea8 SHOCKING CUBS CROSSOVER: CRAIG COUNSELL CHANNELS JOE MAZZULLA\u2019S RUTHLESS MINDSET \u2014 In a bold move that\u2019s leaving Chicago buzzing, Cubs manager Craig Counsell has adopted a no-holds-barred strategy inspired by Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla's ruthless, championship-driven approach. Fans and analysts are already debating this unorthodox tactic, with some predicting it could light a fire under the Cubs' World Series hopes. Is this the game-changing move of 2026, or a gamble that might backfire? 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