Cubs Manager Reacts to Reliever’s ‘Tantrum’ & Injury: ‘You Hurt the Team’

Getty Colten Brewer of the Chicago Cubs breaks his hand after punching a wall in the dugout

The Chicago Cubs have not had the season they had hoped for, and misfortune continued to snowball when right-hander Colten Brewer broke his non-throwing hand after a “tantrum” in the dugout following an error leading to a three-run inning for the Los Angeles Angels on July 6.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell both derided the outburst and tried to show empathy for Brewer, a 31-year-old reliever who has been in and out of the majors since debuting in 2018.

“It’s a mistake and it’s something you can’t let happen and it’s something that’s costly,” Counsell said, according to The Athletic’s Jon Greenberg. “It hurt your teammates by doing it and it hurt that you hurt the team by doing it. Doesn’t reflect well on you, but you also put yourself in the shoes and this is an emotional game, and competition is emotional and it happens.”

Brewer was placed on the 60-day injured list with a 5.66 ERA in 16 appearances for the Cubs, who are in last place in the National League Central even though they have the biggest payroll in the division.

Brewer had entered the game in the third inning in relief of Kyle Hendricks. Along with committing the error, he allowed 2 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs (only 1 of them earned) in 2/3 of an inning.

“Unloading his frustrations, Chicago Cubs pitcher Colten Brewer broke his left hand while punching a wall in Wrigley Field’s home dugout,” wrote The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. “Brewer, a right-handed reliever, had just been removed from Saturday’s game when he threw a tantrum that eclipsed the 391 pitches he’s thrown during this disappointing season.”

Craig Counsell: ‘Those Things Happen’

Surprisingly, a reliever losing a fight to a wall is not new for Counsell, who managed the Milwaukee Brewers before signing with the Cubs ahead of the 2024 season. Brewers All-Star Devin Williams also fractured his hand punching a wall, breaking it in September 2021 in the hours following the Brewers’ winning the NL Central.

Colten Brewer’s injury came under different circumstances.

“When those things happen, you know you screwed up,” manager Craig Counsell told reporters, according to ESPN. “That was the conversation. Then there’s consequences for the mistakes you make. It’s an unfortunate mistake, and he let emotions get the best of him. It’s not who he is, but it’s a mistake that he made.”

Next Steps for Brewer & the Cubs Bullpen

“My intention wasn’t to break my hand,” Brewer told reporters on July 7, according to ESPN. “I’ll get frustrated and make mistakes. That’s no excuse. There’s a lot I can prove out there, that I’m willing not to do stuff like that. Emotions get the best of us sometimes.

“I don’t think I can count many times when I lost my cool too much,” Brewer said, according to Greenberg. “That’s not something I expect out of myself. It’s just the last couple weeks have been really hard. Luck’s not on my side. It’s just everything all at once.”

The Cubs bullpen has the 12th worst ERA in baseball at 4.21.

With the July 30 trade deadline approaching, the Cubs’ next couple of weeks are going to be critical. Five and a half games back of the final wild-card spot, there could be a potential fire sale in Chicago if things don’t improve soon.

“The Cubs are telling teams they still remain undecided whether they will be sellers at the trade deadline, but are preparing for a potential sale, with Bellinger, Jameson Taillon and Nico Hoerner expected to draw interest,” wrote USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “It’s hard to believe how things went south on the North Side after their 17-9 start.”

Hunter Bigge was called up from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move on July 7.