The Major League Baseball (MLB) Chicago Cubs have hired manager Craig Counsell as their highest-paid manager in franchise history.

The Cubs announced on Sunday that they have fired manager David Ross, who led the team until this year, and hired Counsell.

The team did not disclose specific terms of the contract, but ESPN, MLB.com, and others, citing sources, reported that the deal is for five years and a total of $40 million.굿모닝토토

With an average annual base salary of $8 million, it is the highest ever for an MLB manager. The previous highest average salary was $4.5 million for Terry Francona with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Counsell, whose contract with the Milwaukee Brewers expires at the end of this season, has received interest from multiple teams. He interviewed with the New York Mets, Cleveland, and others.

But it was the Cubs who offered him the best deal of all time.

According to MLB.com, Milwaukee offered him a contract a few weeks ago with an average annual salary of $5 million, but he decided to switch teams.

A top-flight center fielder in the big leagues during his career, Counsell was named Milwaukee manager in 2015 and led the team until this year. In nine seasons, he has a career record of 707 wins, 625 losses, and a .531 winning percentage.

He led Milwaukee to first place in the National League Central in 2018, 2021, and this year, and has reached the postseason five times.

Milwaukee finished the season with a 92-70 record, good for first place in the division. In the postseason, the Brewers were eliminated in the wild-card game against the Arizona Diamondbacks after losing two straight games.