The Chicago Cubs are hiring former catcher and broadcaster David Ross as their new manager. The Cubs will make Ross’s hiring official Thursday. Ross replaces Joe Maddon, who played under Maddon in 2015 and 2016. Maddon became the new manager of the Los Angeles Angels last week.
Other candidates that were in consideration for the Cubs job included former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler, Cubs first base coach Will Venable, former Yankees manager Joe Girardi, and Astros bench coach Joe Espada.
David Ross played fifteen years in baseball playing for teams that included the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.
Ross won two World Series titles during his fifteen-year career with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and Chicago Cubs in 2016. Ross was a Game 7 hero in the 2016 World Series when he hit a home run against the Cleveland Indians that would help the Cubs win the World Series for the first time since 1908.
Ross finished his playing career with a .229 batting average with 106 home runs, 314 RBIs, and three stolen bases. After Ross retired from baseball, the Cubs named him as a special assistant in baseball operations, and he provided commentary as a baseball announcer for ESPN.