Ian Happ’s struggles against left-handed pitchers are nothing new, but recent developments do not bode well for his hopes of reaching a new deal with the Cubs when his current contract expires at the end of the season. Craig Counsell told reporters that newly acquired Tyrone Taylor will get starts against tough southpaws in place of Happ, who has a .521 OPS against lefties this season.
That’s not ideal for a switch-hitter, whose value is based largely on the ability to avoid being exploited by the handedness of the opposing pitcher.
“Ian’s struggled against left-handed pitching this year, there’s no question,” Counsell said recently
Happ would surely prefer to like get those extra 50-100 at-bats, but Taylor is slashing .295/.304/.563 against lefties and doesn’t hurt you in the field. He’s nearly ideal as a short-side platoon hitter, with good power and a 23% strikeout rate range that is right at the league average. He doesn’t walk much, but that’s not a concern for a role-player batting in the back half of the order.
At this point in the season, it’s a simple matter of who best helps the Cubs win games. Moving forward, however, it could be a question of $20-60 million, depending on market situations and whether Happ and the Cubs can reach an agreement on a reasonable new deal.
The prospective 2027 outfield class isn’t particularly strong, but there are some big names that could dictate the going rate for a 31-year-old whose value is now based largely on his solid defense. Most of the available options are in the same general age group — late 20s-early 30s — and there’s not as much of a performance spread as you might think. Happ is a known commodity who might take a hometown discount, and the Cubs have other needs to address with whatever budget they will have.
Kevin Alcántara is an obvious internal option, though the team has shown little faith in him to this point. Prospects like Kane Kepley, Josiah Hartshorn, and Ethan Conrad all have ETAs of 2028 or ’29, which could prevent the front office from committing to anything long-term this winter. Only time will tell. But perhaps the ivy-covered walls hold clues. And baseballs.
What are your thoughts on how the Cubs should proceed with Happ in particular and left field in general?
