According to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ could open the season as the leadoff hitter. Happ saw time as the leadoff man last season but eventually ceded that role to Pete Crow-Armstrong during the second half of the season. Sharma noted that manager Craig Counsel "wants to keep the pressure off" Crow-Armstrong and ensure that he continues to develop. As a result, Happ has a good opportunity to open the season in the top spot in the batting order. Sharma also noted that second baseman Nico Hoerner could also be an option, but he may not be ready for Opening Day due to an elbow injury. Last season, Happ posted a .243/.341/.441 slash line with a career-best 25 home runs and 13 stolen bases. Given his elite on-base skills, Happ could produce a high total of runs while batting in front of Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (back) has returned to left field and will bat leadoff on Tuesday in Game 2 of the series at Citizens Bank Park against the Philadelphia Phillies and left-handed opener Tanner Banks. Happ is returning to the lineup after missing the last two games due to tightness in his lower back, but apparently he's feeling good enough to go on Tuesday. The 30-year-old switch-hitter has hit .250 (35-for-140) with seven of his 25 home runs on the year against southpaw pitchers. He's batting .284 (23-for-81) with two home runs, a double, a triple, nine RBI and two stolen bases in 19 games in the month of September, but he's also gone hitless in three of his last four games before sitting out a few games with his back injury. Happ will be a nice DFS target against a Phillies team expected to be hungover on Tuesday after celebrating winning the National League East on Monday night.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (back) remains out for the series opener on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. With Happ out again, Mike Tauchman will start in left field and bat leadoff for the Cubbies against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Happ was scratched from Chicago's lineup on Sunday in the series finale against the Washington Commanders due to lower-back tightness and will now miss a second straight game. The 30-year-old left-handed slugger should be considered day-to-day for the final week of the regular season. Happ needs one more home run to set a new career-high mark of 26 and is one steal shy of his previous career-high in that category, which he set in 2023. Happ already has a career-high 85 RBI in 148 games this year. Tauchman is in a nice lineup spot but has a tough matchup against Nola for DFS purposes.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ continued his strong offensive September in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Athletics. Happ went 3-for-5 with a single and a pair of solo home runs. The 30-year-old took Mitch Spence deep to right field in the third inning and lined a ninth-inning, 103-mph Mason Miller fastball just over the left-field wall for his 25th home run of the season. Happ has put together his best offensive month in September, slashing .308/.357/.446 with two homers, nine RBI, and two stolen bases in 65 at-bats. The Cubs have been one of baseball's hottest lineups lately, so Happ could be a bat that fantasy managers could lean on to finish the season on a high note.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ continued his power surge on Saturday, going 1-for-4 with his 22nd home run of the season in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old is now riding an eight-game hit streak, during which time he has gone 10-for-32 (.313) with a double and five home runs. The switch-hitter has also collected seven RBI, 10 runs scored, and has stolen two bases during the eight-game stretch. For the season, the former first-round draft pick owns a .233-22-69-70-9 line with a .345 wOBA and 124 wRC+. While the batting average is a disappointment, the former All-Star continues to walk at a strong rate of 12.9%, resulting in a solid .339 OBP.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ continued to show off his power stroke with his 20th homer of the season in Monday's loss to Cleveland. Happ blasted his third homer in his past four games and brought his RBI total to 67 on the season. The 30-year-old is hitting just .230 this season but has contributed in the power categories and has mixed in eight stolen bases. Despite the poor batting average, Happ is still a valuable outfielder in five-outfielder fantasy leagues due to his power production.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ hit a two-run home run and swiped a bag during the team's 8-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. The 29-year-old went 1-for-5 with a home run, two RBI, two runs, and a stolen base in Wednesday's victory. Happ has had a mediocre season, but he has been ice-cold as of late. In his last 15 games, he is slashing .169/.246/.356 with three home runs, six RBI, and 15 strikeouts. The Cubs (57-60) currently sit five games out of a Wild Card spot. Chicago desperately needs to start winning games and hopes that Happ homering and being active on the basepaths will begin some hot streak down the stretch.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (shoulder) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Minnesota Twins. This is good news after Happ was scratched ahead of Sunday's contest due to shoulder soreness. He'll bat leadoff and play in left field versus right-hander David Festa on Monday. Normally, Mike Tauchman would head back to the bench but he's starting in place of Seiya Suzuki (neck) for Monday's contest.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (shoulder) has been scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The switch-hitter injured his shoulder while running into the wall during Saturday's game. It's believed to be a minor issue that will hopefully only force Happ to miss one game. In his absence, Mike Tauchman will bat sixth and play left field versus right-hander Miles Mikolas. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of first pitch.
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ piled up three hits and three runs scored in Wednesday night's win over the hosting Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, walloping his 17th home run of the year in the blowout victory. The Cincinnati product crushed a two-run homer to straightaway center field off Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo, extending the Cubs' lead to 8-3 in the sixth inning on Wednesday. It was a much-needed rebound effort for Chicago's left fielder, who had been going through a dry spell at the dish lately but wraps up the month of July by slashing a respectable .253/.330/.516 with six big flies, six doubles, and 18 RBI in 91 at-bats for the Cubs. His batting average may fluctuate, but Happ remains a solid producer in fantasy overall.
