Craig Counsell has always taken a holistic view as Cubs manager. That hasn’t changed now that the team is eliminated.

“I think seasons like this, clearly, there’s successes and there’s things that aren’t good enough,” Counsell said Sunday morning. “And so that leads to your record, and that record is the record, and that’s earned.”

A pair of those positives were on full display in Sunday’s 5-0 win over the Nationals — and they were the Cubs’ two biggest moves this offseason.

Shota Imanaga was his brilliant self — tossing 7 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts and 6 hits and Michael Busch was 2-for-4 with a double and a home run.

The two most significant additions Jed Hoyer made this offseason, Busch and Imanaga entered the year with plenty of question marks as rookies with unique backgrounds.

Imanaga was coming Stateside after a successful career in Japan — but how would his stuff translate in MLB? How would the lefty adapt to pitching in a 5-man rotation and more than once a week?

In Busch’s case — how would the rookie adapt to a brand-new position? He had played first base in college but was primarily at second and third base in the minor leagues with the Dodgers. Could Busch adjust quickly to major-league pitching as he received an extended run in the majors for the first time after being blocked in Los Angeles?

If there were any doubts in either case, their season-long production — with Sunday as a microcosm — emphatically answered them. Imanaga has a dazzling 2.91 ERA in a team-high 173.1 innings this season with 174 strikeouts and a 1.02 WHIP.

Busch is slashing .253/.335/.449 (.784 OPS) to go along with sharp defense at first base. His 21 home runs are tied for third-most among rookies and his 117 wRC+ was 8th among rookies entering Sunday. He’s seemingly filled the void left by Anthony Rizzo 3 years ago at first base for the Cubs.

But as the Cubs record will show all those successes weren’t good enough to build off an 83-win team from 2023 that finished 1 game short of the playoffs. The bullpen struggled early in the year. The offense — a strength last year — was shutout 15 times this season, tied for the second-most in baseball, and was inconsistent almost all year.

Cody Bellinger last year received down-ballot MVP votes this season, carrying the Cubs offense. This year, he’s just been solid, but not the star-level player that he was. Adbert Alzolay, the Cubs’ breakout closer in 2023, missed most of the season with injuries and struggled early in the year. The Cubs defense — so solid last year — struggled early this season before turning it around late.

“None of those are promised — the successes or the failures — moving forward,” Counsell said. “And that’s one of the obviously difficult parts about evaluating teams, as well. Obviously, we’ve got to maximize those successes again, and we’ve got to create more more successes. Clearly, there wasn’t enough.

“If that’s the case, we got to turn weaknesses into either average or strengths. And continue our strengths, like our defense that we spoke of previously, that they continue to play at the same or better level.”

That’s part of what makes next season so challenging — Imanaga’s prowess and Busch’s successes aren’t a given. Both players have to show up and prove it all over again next year.

“Always want everybody to be better, huh?” Counsell quipped after the game. ” I think Shota, so far, he’s used his experiences in a great way to, I think, do that. And I think he’ll, he’ll continue to do that. But this is a heck of a season he’s putting together. We’re gonna try. He’s gonna try. But it’s a heck of a season he’s put together.”