Ian Happ’s words after the Cubs’ season ended carried the kind of weight that usually comes with a goodbye.
After Chicago was swept by the Padres in the Wild Card round, Happ sounded like a player taking stock of what the organization has meant to him, and he did it with an emotional message that felt bigger than a standard end-of-season quote. He also marked what could have been his final home game at Wrigley Field with a symbolic gesture that suggested he understood the moment.
“All I can say is that I love being a Cub. I've loved my time.
I've loved the place, the people, Wrigley Field, the fanbase. And it's been truly special.
I don't think there's a better place in baseball to play.”
That sounds a lot like a farewell. It may turn out to be something else.
Happ is heading toward free agency this offseason, and that alone leaves plenty of room for uncertainty. He has been in the Cubs’ organization since they drafted him in 2015, so it makes sense that he would want to leave one last message before a possible exit. But the story around his future has not settled on a clean ending.
FanSided’s Pat Ragazzo has reported that Happ would be open to a discount in free agency if it meant staying in Chicago. That matters because, despite the offensive issues that surfaced this past offseason, Happ still brings value.
He’s a four-time Gold Glove winner in left field and he hit 24 home runs for the Cubs. The bat has its rough patches, but he remains an above-average offensive player.
There’s also no hiding the frustration that comes with him. Happ has been steady at times during his Cubs run, but he’s also gone through punishing cold spells, and that’s part of why his profile can be so maddening. It also feels relevant that the Cubs closed the season looking lost offensively.
Even so, there’s a sense the front office understands what’s in front of it. The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney has said the Cubs could have interest in bringing Happ back, provided the deal is team-friendly, while also recognizing that he may fit best as a platoon player moving forward.
Put Ragazzo’s reporting together with Mooney’s latest note, and the likeliest outcome starts to look like Happ returning to Chicago next season. Cubs fans may not love the idea, but it might still be the safest bet.
In Other News...
Cubs Lose Another Pitching Depth Option After Brief Uneven Stint
Corbin Martin is one of six minor league players who have elected free agency after finishing the season on outright assignments, a move that lets them reach the market earlier than the usual major league free-agent timeline. For the Cubs, it means another pitching depth name is on the move after a brief, uneven stint in the organization, a familiar kind of churn at this time of year as clubs sort through the back end of the roster.
Martin had been part of a group that included players with recent designation-for-assignment history and varying minor league resumes, underscoring how quickly those depth pieces can cycle through an organization. For Chicago, the timing matters because these are the kinds of arms teams often hope to keep around as insurance, but once a player chooses free agency, the Cubs have to look elsewhere for that same low-cost rotation and bullpen cushion. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Rotation Need Just Ran Into A Brutal Tarik Skubal Reality
The Cubs know the rotation could use another impact arm, but the market may be about to make that search a lot tougher. Tarik Skubal is expected to land at the top of the free-agent pitching class, with Jeff Passan reporting that his next deal could climb to a level that would reshape the entire market. For a Chicago team trying to balance ambition with roster-building realities, that kind of price tag immediately turns a dream fit into more of a luxury than a plan.
Chicago is not expected to seriously chase Skubal, and age is part of the reason the fit looks so difficult. Instead, the Cubs are more likely to keep working through other starting-pitcher options once free agency opens, hoping to find a deal that brings real rotation help without forcing them into the kind of bidding war that only a handful of clubs can afford. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face One Offseason Reset That Will Define Their Next Contender
The Cubs came up short of their expectations and are heading into the winter with a familiar priority at the top of the list: pitching. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made clear that the staff will be the main offseason focus, with the club weighing questions about which pitchers will be back and whether outside help in free agency can steady things for next year.
Chicago is also looking more broadly at how to tighten up the roster for the 2027 season, with the bullpen and catcher spots among the areas under review. It is the kind of reset that can shape a contenders timeline, and for the Cubs, the next few months may say as much about where theyre headed as the season they just left behind. [Read more 🡒]