Craig Counsell, now Cubs manager, returns to face his former team, the Brewers, in the NLDS, reigniting a fierce rivalry.

Craig Counsell, former Brewers manager, returns to lead the Cubs into the NLDS, reigniting the longstanding rivalry between the two teams. His presence adds personal stakes to the matchup, as he now faces the franchise he once managed. The Cubs' playoff push is highlighted by Counsell's leadership, bringing renewed intensity to a rivalry rooted in regional competition and recent playoff history.