Beloved catcher Ross tapped as Chicago manager
The Chicago Cubs thought they needed a new voice in the dugout.
They are banking on good ol’ “Grandpa Rossy” to give them a spark.
The Cubs hired David Ross to replace Joe Maddon as their manager Thursday, hoping the former catcher can help them get back to the playoffs after missing out for the first since 2014. The three-year deal includes a club option for the 2023 season. Ross, who’s never managed or even coached before, becomes the 55th manager in club history.
The 42-year-old Ross played the final two of his 15 major league seasons with the Cubs and was a revered leader on the 2016 team that won the World Series, ending the infamous championship drought dating to 1908. He spent the past three years in Chicago’s front office and was widely viewed as a potential replacement for Maddon, one of the most successful managers in franchise history with a 471339-1 record in five seasons.
“I’m honored by this opportunity to be the next man
CHICAGO —
ager of the Chicago Cubs,” Ross said in a statement. “My time with this organization has been special since the day I joined, so to continue with the club in this role is a blessing for which I’m so very thankful.”
Chairman Tom Ricketts described Ross as a “proven winner.” And president of baseball operations Theo Epstein called him “as gifted a leader as I’ve ever come across.”
“David has always stood out for his ability to cultivate the ingredients of a winning culture — accountability, hard work, hustle, competitiveness, trust, togetherness, and team identity,” Epstein said.
Ross played a huge role in reshaping the culture of the Cubs’ clubhouse and was affectionately nicknamed “Grandpa Rossy” by Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. At age 39, he became the oldest player to homer in a Game 7 of the World Series when he connected off Andrew Miller in the sixth inning in Cleveland. The Cubs went on to win in the 10th, and Ross got carried off the field and into retirement by Rizzo and Jason Heyward.
With young star Juan Soto leading the charge, the Nationals have a 2-0 series lead over the Astros as they bring the World Series back to Washington for the first time since 1933 with the original Senators.