Merrill Kelly Rips Cubs for Sign Stealing, While Craig Counsell Couldn't Care Less

Things got chippy between the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

With the Cubs up 2-0 in the fifth inning at Chase Field, the two dugouts started to exchange some words. Multiple Diamondbacks bench coaches first screamed in the direction of the home plate umpire before turning toward the Cubs. The broadcast then caught bench coach Ryan Flaherty pointing and yelling back.

There was some immediate speculation that third base coach Quentin Berry was attempting to steal signs off Merrill Kelly. Seiya Suzuki was stationed at second base at the time, meaning Berry could have been sending a signal to Suzuki to then relay to Michael Busch at the plate.

To be clear, everyone stayed in their places, and the inning would end without the Cubs doing any additional damage. They already had one run added to the board thanks to Suzuki's double, which brought in Michael Conforto.

Diamondbacks and Cubs dugouts exchanging wordspic.twitter.com/Pcn2eMpv38
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 25, 2026

Nevertheless, Merrill Kelly didn't hesitate to comment on the interaction after the game. He specifically said that he believes Berry had something on his changeup. The veteran had choice words for the potential strategy, insisting that he doesn't believe coaches should be tipping off players.

“If it’s a guy on second base and they see the grip on your glove, or the hitters can see something that you’re doing with your glove, I think that’s fair game. I think guys have been doing that since the beginning of baseball," Kelly said after the game.

"I think it’s a little bush league when it comes from outside that. Inside the lines is one thing, but the guys standing outside the lines, I think it’s a little bush league. That being said, I have to take a look at what I’m going because clearly he had something, and obviously if he has it, then other people will pick up on it, as well … but I think it should stay between the players.”

Craig Counsell was also asked about the shouting between the two dugouts, and the Cubs manager had far less to say about what transpired. As far as he was concerned, it was nothing out of the norm.

“That’s gamesmanship that goes on every day in the league," Counsell said before promptly moving on to the next question.

Tempers Flare in Cubs-Diamondbacks Series Opener

Aug 11, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell (11) stands in the dugout prior tot he game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We're only in Game 1 of this series, which leaves plenty of time for blood to reach a boiling point. If the Cubs do have something over these Diamondbacks pitchers, it's hard to imagine they have any plans to stop what they're doing. Speaking of which, these Arizona coaches are only going to be more aware of what Chicago's dugout is trying to pull.

With that said, should the Diamondbacks coaches really be up in arms? Sign stealing on the field is a part of the game! Especially in a heated postseason race, players and coaches are looking for any leg up. The Cubs weren't beating a trash can or using some kind of hidden tech. Merrill Kelly was seemingly doing something obvious enough for the Cubs to hone in on it. As he even admitted, it's up to him to adjust.

As for whether a coach should get involved, what do the Diamondbacks expect Berry and his fellow staff members to do? If they see something obvious that can give the Cubs an advantage, it's quite literally their job to act on it. Simple as that.

Kelly even suggested it himself; It's not as if the Cubs were doing anything illegal. He might not like it, particularly after another rough outing that saw him give up 3 earned runs and walk three batters, but were they truly doing anything wrong?

According to Craig Counsell, that's an easy no!

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