The Cubs may not be eager to rush Ian Happ back into the fold on a new contract this offseason, and the numbers help explain why. Since the trade deadline, Happ has settled into more of a platoon role, a shift that says plenty about where his 2026 season stands right now.
Happ still has the kind of resume that has long made him valuable to Chicago. By season’s end, his supporters have usually pointed to a wRC+ around 120 and at least 20 home runs, plus the steady left-field defense that has kept him in Gold Glove conversations year after year. Those traits have mattered, and they still do.
This season, though, the production has not quite lined up with that familiar profile. Happ has 23 home runs and is on track for another Gold Glove in left field, but he enters Tuesday with a wRC+ of 106. Unless he catches fire over the next few weeks, getting that number much closer to 120 looks unlikely.
There is one factor that could still help Happ in free agency: the market. It’s a weak class, and while he won’t be in the same tier as Seiya Suzuki, that lack of depth could push teams into overpaying. For the Cubs, that would be the wrong move, especially with Happ set to turn 33 next season.
If Happ does not agree to a discounted return, Chicago will have to look elsewhere for his replacement. Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez are part of that discussion, but Tyrone Taylor belongs there too.
Taylor’s arrival at the deadline is what pushed Happ into platoon duty, and he has made the most of the opportunity. In 60 plate appearances with the Cubs, Taylor is hitting .407/.450/.574 with a wRC+ of 185. He fit what Chicago needed immediately, and now he looks like a strong candidate to be brought back once the offseason opens.
That said, Taylor cannot be the only answer, because much of his success has come against left-handed hitters. Still, if the Cubs are planning to add a veteran outfielder on a short-term deal, Taylor gives them a straightforward way to fill that need. At the very least, it helps them avoid throwing bad money at Happ.
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Cubs Suddenly Have A DH Opening BJ Murray Can Seize
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The opportunity is real, but so is the work still ahead. Murrays brief major league showing has not given the Cubs much to hang their plans on yet, which means the next stretch matters a lot if he wants to turn a September promotion into something more permanent. For a club searching for stability in the DH spot, his name is suddenly in the mix, but he still has to prove he belongs there. [Read more 🡒]