After Thursday’s win over the Miami Marlins, Ian Happ gave Cubs fans a parting gesture that fit the moment perfectly.
The Chicago outfielder, who has spent his entire MLB career with the Cubs across 10 seasons, tossed a ball into the stands and wrote a message on it after what may have been his final game at Wrigley Field. Happ is scheduled to hit free agency after the 2026 season.
On the ball, he wrote: "Thank you for 10 incredible years, for the positivity and unwavering support!" Happ wrote on the ball.
"Y'all are the best fans in sports! Go Cubs!"
He also fastened $300 to the ball with rubber bands and added one more note for the fans: "Beers on me!"
Happ’s run with Chicago has been a long one, even if it didn’t begin in time for the Cubs’ historic World Series title in 2016. Drafted in the first round by the club in 2015, he still built a strong résumé over the last decade.
He has appeared in 1,292 games for Chicago, hit 197 home runs and driven in 625 runs. His career OPS sits at .784, and his lone All-Star nod came with the Cubs in 2022.
He has also taken home a Gold Glove in each of the past four seasons. And with a plus-6 fielding run value in left field, he has a chance to add another in 2026.
There’s a real possibility Happ never plays another regular-season game at Wrigley Field in a Cubs uniform. Chicago’s final series of the season is on the road against the Boston Red Sox, which means the next chance would have to come in the postseason.
That path is still uncertain. The Cubs have already locked up a spot in the NL Wild Card, but they do not currently own the top seed. The Padres entered Thursday’s game against the Dodgers with a half-game edge over Chicago, and if that result stands, the Cubs would be on the road in the first round.
Even so, Happ and the Cubs still have plenty to chase, including the chance to get back to the World Series for the first time since 2016.
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There is still a little business to sort out before the focus shifts fully to October, and the Cubs will try to do it while working through some recent offensive trouble. The lineup is set, the stage is familiar, and Wrigley should have one more chance to feel like a place where the season is actually moving toward something bigger. For a club already looking ahead, this is the kind of game that can still matter in more ways than the standings show. [Read more 🡒]