The Chicago Cubs finished second to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central in the 2023 MLB season.

Craig Counsell has managed the Brewers for the past nine seasons. But in 2024, he will manage the Cubs.

That leaves Chicago manager David Ross out of a job, even though his contract extends through next season and includes a club option for the 2025 campaign.

“Today we made the difficult decision to dismiss David Ross as our Major League manager,” said Jed Hoyer, the team’s president of baseball operations, in a press release on Monday afternoon. “On behalf of the Cubs organization, we express our deep gratitude for David’s contributions to our club, both on and off the field. First as a player and then as a manager, David continually showcased his ability to lead. David’s legacy will be felt in Chicago for generations, and his impact to our organization will stack up with the legends that came before him.”

Ross had a 262-284 record in four seasons with the Cubs. Chicago went to the postseason once, getting swept in a best-of-three series with the Miami Marlins in 2020.

In 2023, the Cubs posted an 83-79 record. On Sept. 6, Chicago trailed the Brewers by 1.5 games in the NL Central standings. But the Cubs finished nine games out as they went 7-15 down the stretch.

Counsell had a 707-625 record with Milwaukee. The Brewers made the playoffs in five of the past six seasons. In 2018, Milwaukee lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series.

Counsell’s contract with Milwaukee expired on Wednesday.

In Ross’ final Major League game, he hit a Game 7 home run to help the Cubs defeat the Cleveland Indians and win the 2016 World Series. He became the oldest player to hit a home run in a World Series Game 7 at age 39 as he helped the Cubs win their first championship since 1908.

Ross played for seven teams, mainly as a backup, in 15 MLB seasons. He played more than 100 games in a season once — in 2007 for the Cincinnati Reds. He hit .229 with 106 home runs in 883 MLB games during his career. Ross also played for a World Series winner in 2013 with the Boston Red Sox.

Ross played for the Auburn team that went to the College World Series in 1997.

Ross, Jimmy Outlaw of the 1945 Detroit Tigers, Gus Niarhos of the 1949 New York Yankees, Joe Beckwith of the 1984 Kansas City Royals, Terry Leach of the 1991 Minnesota Twins, Mark Bellhorn of the 2004 Red Sox and Tim Hudson of the 2014 San Francisco Giants are the Auburn alumni who played on World Series winners, and Ross is the only one who played for two.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.