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Craig Counsell’s decision to leave the Milwaukee Brewers to manage a division rival in the Chicago Cubs was about wanting “a new professional challenge” and staying close to home, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an article published Tuesday.

Counsell, whose contract with the Brewers expired last month, signed a record-setting five-year, $40 million deal with the Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

“I think as I was going through this process, it became clear that I needed and wanted a new professional challenge,” Counsell told the Journal Sentinel. “At the same time, look, I’m grateful to be part of [Milwaukee’s] community. And that’s going to continue, hopefully, because it has nothing to do with baseball, that part of it. I’m looking forward to being part of a new community and hopefully impact our community well, too.

“But as I went through it, it just became clear that I needed a new challenge.”

The hire, which included the firing of incumbent manager David Ross, stunned the baseball world as Counsell was synonymous with the Brewers after spending the past 17 years with the organization as a player, executive and manager.

A Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, native, Counsell said Chicago’s proximity to home made the Cubs “a great situation [family-wise].”

The new deal more than doubled Counsell’s previous salary of $3.5 million and broke the previous record for a manager’s average annual pay.

“Look, I just wanted the market to decide,” Counsell said when asked how important it was for him to reset the market for managers’ salaries. “That’s it.”

Counsell also dismissed the notion that his relationship with Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and members of the front office had become strained in recent years.

“I think highly of Matt Arnold. I think highly of David Stearns. I think highly of Mark. Mark was incredibly graceful on our last phone call together. I don’t have any hard feelings. They had to make a decision and I had to make a decision. That’s it.”

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Michigan star TE Loveland ruled out vs. Trojans

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Michigan star TE Loveland ruled out vs. Trojans

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan star tight end Colston Loveland has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against No. 11 USC with an undisclosed injury.

Loveland suffered an apparent shoulder injury in last weekend’s win over Arkansas State. Michigan coach Sherrone Moore hasn’t specified the nature of the injury.

A preseason All-American, Loveland leads the Wolverines with 19 catches for 187 yards; no other Michigan pass catcher has more than nine receptions.

The No. 18 Wolverines also changed starting quarterbacks this week, moving from Davis Warren to Alex Orji. Warren had thrown six interceptions in three games, including three last weekend. He threw two picks in a 31-12 loss to Texas on Sept. 7.

Orji has only seven career passing attempts but has rushed for 58 yards in a relief role this season.

Moore said this week that he wants to see Orji “take the reins” of the Michigan offense with his opportunity.

“Excited for him,” Moore said. “I know he’s chomping at the bit.”

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Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

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Sources: Nats demote All-Star after all-nighter

The Washington Nationals demoted All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams to the minor leagues after he stayed out all night at a Chicago-area casino, leaving only hours before a Friday day game against the Chicago Cubs, sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

The 23-year-old Abrams led off for the Nationals and went 0 for 3 with a walk and strikeout in Friday’s game, which started at 1 p.m. CT. He was informed of the demotion Friday night, sources said. He will be sent to West Palm Beach, home of the Nationals’ minor league complex.

Because Abrams has been with Washington for the entirety of the season, the demotion will not affect his service time. Players earn a full year of service with 172 days on the major league roster, and Abrams already has exceeded that threshold.

Abrams could, however, file a grievance through the Major League Baseball Players Association to fight for lost pay if he believes the demotion unjust. He would lose around $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the season’s final week. Abrams will be arbitration-eligible this winter, entering the system for the first of four times as a Super 2.

Acquired as one of the centerpieces of the Juan Soto trade two years ago, Abrams parlayed a breakout first-half into an All-Star selection, hitting .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases over the Nationals’ first 89 games. He struggled significantly in the second half, slashing .203/.260/.326, and Abrams’ defense has been a weakness throughout the season.

Still, the Nationals did not intend to send him to the minor leagues until they learned of his time spent at the casino, which was first reported Friday by CHGO.

“I just want it to be known it wasn’t performance-based,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Saturday. “It’s an internal issue. I’m not going to give specifics.”

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Clemson DE Woods (leg) sidelined vs. NC State

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Clemson DE Woods (leg) sidelined vs. NC State

CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson defensive end Peter Woods will not play for the 21st-ranked Tigers against NC State on Saturday because of a leg injury.

The team announced Woods’ status about 90 minutes before kickoff. Woods, 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, got hurt two weeks ago on a chop block below the knee in a 66-20 victory over App State. Woods came back in briefly after getting checked then missed the second half.

The Tigers were off last weekend.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney has said Woods’ playing status was day-to-day. Swinney said Woods had not missed a practice. But Woods came out to the field for warmups in sneakers and sweatpants while other defensive linemen went through drills.

Woods leads the Tigers with 2½ tackles for loss.

Third-year sophomore Jahiem Lawson is listed as Woods’ backup on the depth chart.

NC State will be without starting quarterback Grayson McCall, who was hurt last week in a win over Louisiana Tech. Freshman CJ Bailey started for the Wolfpack.

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