The Chicago Cubs are reportedly set to hire former catcher David Ross as their new manager, replacing Joe Maddon.
NBC Sports Chicago's David Kaplan and Jon Heyman with MLB Network both confirmed the news Wednesday morning, with Kaplan citing a "highly placed source" who said Ross is expected to be named manager this week.
"His agent has been discussing conractual terms with Theo Epstein," Kaplan tweeted. "Deal is almost done."
Heyman reports other contenders for the position "have been told they are out." Jesse Rogers with ESPN also reported the Cubs could announce the hiring as early as Thursday.
According to NBC Sports Chicago’s Kelly Crull, the Cubs recently had a second interview with Ross. Ross, long considered to be the favorite for the Cubs’ managerial job, interviewed early in the process, but met with the team a second time for “expanded” conversations, according to Crull’s report.
Ross, currently an analyst for ESPN and a special adviser with the Cubs, has been viewed as the betting favorite for the position ever since Joe Maddon was allowed to leave the club after the 2019 season. Ross retired in 2016 after spending two seasons with the Cubs, culminating with a Game 7 home run off of Andrew Miller in the 2016 World Series.
Ross, along with Cubs bench coach Mark Loretta and first base coach Will Venable, is one of numerous candidates the Cubs have interviewed during the managerial search. The Cubs have also spoken to former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and former catcher Joe Girardi, who is now the favorite to replace Kapler in Philadelphia. [[561807752, C]]
Chicago Baseball
According to multiple reports, the Cubs and other MLB teams will be allowed by the league to make announcements on off days during the World Series, meaning that an announcement on a new manager could come as soon as Thursday when the Washington Nationals and Astros are traveling between Houston and the nation’s capital.
