Ian Happ

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• Cubs' Ian Happ: Could work in outfield rotation

  04/23/2020 •

  Happ could work in a rotation with fellow outfielders Albert Almora and Steven Souza, and all three would likely benefit if MLB adopts a universal DH for the 2020 season, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports. Happ and Almora were battling for the primary role in center field before the coronavirus pandemic abruptly stopped play, and that competition will likely continue into the regular season, whenever it is able to begin. The league has been mulling some ways to condense the schedule with games being held in just a few sites, and a universal DH idea has popped up as well. This would bode well for Happ and his powerful bat. He also has the advantage of being able to play some infield, while Almora and Souza are likely just outfield or DH options at this point.

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• Cubs' Ian Happ: Stays hot Tuesday

  03/11/2020 •

  Happ went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and three RBI in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Giants. Happ has been great this spring, as he's now sporting a 1.315 OPS in Cactus League play. The 25-year-old has also hit leadoff some, and while Kris Bryant will serve as the primary leadoff man this year, it appears Happ could get some run there whenever Bryant sits. If Happ performs anything like this, he should be able to post some eye-popping stats when he bats first.

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• Cubs' Ian Happ: Hits first spring home run

  03/03/2020 •

  Happ went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Monday's Cactus League game against the Angels. Happ's third inning blast was his first of the spring, and he's now batting .385 with a 1.050 OPS through five Cactus League games. Unfortunately for Happ, Albert Almora has been equally as locked in (1.810 OPS, two home runs in five games) this spring, and the two could once again split time in center field this year, which would cap their respective fantasy values.

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• Cubs' Ian Happ: Hitting leadoff early in spring

  02/27/2020 •

  Happ is leading off and playing center field in his third spring training start Thursday against the Rangers. The 25-year old is 2-for-6 at the plate with three RBI in two games heading into his fourth season major-league season. The Cubs' new manager David Ross has already confirmed that Kris Bryant will serve as the leadoff man, but Happ seems to occupy the leadoff spot whenever Bryant is out of the lineup. The switch hitting outfielder is expected to begin the year in a platoon role alongside Albert Almora Jr. Happ is expected to open the season hitting in the nine spot against right-handed pitching and will have plenty of opportunities to score runs when he can get on-base ahead of the big bats that headline Chicago's lineup.

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• Cubs' Ian Happ: Homers twice

  09/29/2019 •

  Happ went 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in a win over the Cardinals on Saturday. Happ spent the majority of 2019 at Triple-A Iowa and was not impressive at that level, posting a below-average batting line over 99 games. He's regained some of the lost shine since his late-July recall, hitting .268/.333/.572 with 11 homers in 57 games with the big-league club. That said, there's a lot of uncertainty facing the Cubs this offseason and Happ isn't assured of anything in 2020.

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