With the Cubs currently sitting on a record of 27-44, speculation has naturally started building about players nearing free agency that could be moved at the August 2 trade deadline. One such player who will be coveted by rival teams is Ian Happ, though Happ doesn’t seem to be bothered by being the subject of rumors. “At some point, you get numb to it,” Happ tells Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. “Everybody’s been through it at certain points. It’s something that you just kind of get numb to and understand it’s part of the job.”
Happ’s case will be an interesting one to watch this year, as there are arguments for holding onto him as well as arguments for trading him. He’s slated to reach free agency after the 2023 season, making him a fairly logical trade candidate for a rebuilding team that isn’t likely to be competitive within that time frame. He’s also having the best season of his career, meaning the club might want to put him on the block while his value is at high tide. He’s hitting .288/.385/.475 on the year for a wRC+ of 138. Combined with solid outfield defense, he’s produced 2.2 fWAR on the year, which is already a career high, even with more than half the season still to be played.
However, the Cubs could also extend Happ and keep him around for the next competitive window. Happ seems open to that idea, saying “I’ve always been very clear, too, that I like playing here. This is a great place to play. I would love to be a part of competitive groups in years to come here.”
Some other notes from Central teams…
- The Royals are 26-43 and will have to decide which of their players will be moved as part of their deadline strategy. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that a Whit Merrifield trade is being given more consideration than in previous years. Merrifield has been the subject of trade rumors for a long time, as the club has been mired in a years-long rebuild for essentially his entire big league career. The Royals went 81-81 in 2016, Merrifield’s debut season, but have been below .500 ever since. Despite that, the club has eschewed all trade overtures in past seasons. It would certainly come as a shock if the team were to suddenly change course and agree to a deal now, as Merrifield is having easily the worst season of his career. Through 69 games, he’s hitting .230/.277/.314 for a wRC+ of 66. To spurn offers for years and then suddenly relent when his value is at a low ebb would be a very surprising turn of events. Perhaps the club is concerned that the 33-year-old won’t be able to turn things around, though there’s time for him to do so. His contract runs through next year, with a club option for 2024.
- The Cardinals announced that left-hander Genesis Cabrera is going on the injured list. No designation for his injury was given, implying that Cabrera has gone on the COVID-related IL. Righty Jake Woodford was recalled to take his place on the active roster. This is the second time COVID has hit the St. Louis bullpen in recent days, as T.J. McFarland also was sidelined earlier this week. Notably, both Cabrera and McFarland are southpaws, leaving the club short-handed on that side of their bullpen. There are two lefties now remaining, although Packy Naughton is more of a long relief option. That leaves Zack Thompson and his 14 2/3 innings of MLB experience as the club’s primary left-handed reliever. Cabrera has become a key asset for the club in recent years, notching 28 holds last year and 10 so far this year. He has a 2.27 ERA here in 2022, despite generating fewer strikeouts. His .193 BABIP and 93.1% strand rate are surely giving him an unsustainable boost, but he’s also lowered his walk rate to 9.3%. That’s still above league average, but much improved over his 12.1% career mark.
Trade Happ while his value is high. The Cubs need more prospects, but closer to the majors than the one they’ve been trading for.
Yeah, it’s time to bring in some near major league talent that can be in the mix no later than next year. Let’s hold off on landing the 18 & 19-year-olds for a while.
As we’ve learned so many times with Happ, he will have good peaks and even worse valleys. The Cubs had so many chances to trade guys like Baez, Bryant, Happ, Schwarber when their value was high, but instead they held them and received next to nothing.
Happ is a good trade piece now. Sell high. Absolutely sell high on him. Don’t wait until his value sinks to trade him for nothing in his contract year.
They need to keep Happ. At all costs. They need to DFA Heyward already. Pay him outright the rest of his contract and move on. Unfortunately for the cubs and mostly the fans. We know PapaJoe Ricketts is cheap. Which is why he cut off Tom and jed off 3 of the last 4 years.
A versatile switch hitter really would fit on any contender. They could probably get a decent sized bidding war going on Happ.
Cubs can really clean up by the deadline with Happ, Contreras, and Robertson on the market. I would hope the FO doesn’t try to get cute and package any of them with Heyward to get his money off the books for a lesser return. Just eat the last year this winter.
But they always wait too long to trade guys. Willie would have fetched more last year cuz now he only has a few months of control left. They’re not going to get a top 100 prospect for him now. Maybe Happ, but not Contreras and certainly not Robertson.
Right on point. Maybe add Givens and Hendricks. The Cubs are a bad team period. Bad team vs. real bad team should not matter when/if more trades come about. Hopefully good returns for some of these players.
They need to keep Hendricks. Would be stupid to trade bim. When he’s good like last night vs the cards, he’s their best pitcher.
It’s clear some don’t understand that the Cubs are rebuilding. Hendricks is 32 yrs old and signed through 2023 with a vesting option for 2024. This likely does not fit the Cubs time line for being at least competitive. If you can get a decent return then make that trade. Like I mentioned. Being a bad team or really bad should not matter during a rebuild.
On one hand… I get it. Trade a guy who’s only under control the rest of this season and next. But if they think they can resign him, keep him.
Seems to me me he’s young enough and good enough that they would want him on there roster in the future. Can you get anything back that will prove worth what he is already?
After holding onto him this long, despite all the teams who had wanted him, and then deciding to move hum now would be stupid. Otherwise, what were they holding onto him for? They’re allegedly entering their competitive window soon, and he’s having a bad season, so they would be selling low. All that said, trading him just wouldn’t make sense.
Bad season? Happ is a sleeper all star this year. He’s having a great season.
I’m a cubs fan and big fan of Happ, but cubs need to trade him while his value is highest. Hopefully they also deal Stroman, Robertson, and Contrearas as well. Also Heyward but no one will take him lol
Stroman isn’t being traded 4 months into a 3 year contract. They need starting pitching. Makes no sense to subtract from the weakest part of the team. They also need to hold onto Happ.
Contreras needs to be extended. He obviously won’t. Joe Ricketts is cheap. He doesn’t want to give his money out like he should be.
You clearly don’t know what a rebuild is. Happ has been streaky in his career, makes total sense to flip him at his highest. Makes no sense to hang onto contrearas if you’re not going to compete for a few years and again his value is at his highest with the season he’s having. As for stroman the cubs signed him with the intention of trading him. He was to fill a rotation spot until the right offer came along. It makes total sense to trade him since they are tanking.
It makes perfect sense to try to extend the best catcher in baseball. He’s in his prime. He’s the type of player you build around.
Stroman I’d expected to be traded by the deadline next year. Makes zero sense to trade someone 4 months into a 3 year deal. Makes zero sense to subtract from the weakest part of the team.
Now I’m just repeating myself.
Correction: right now, he’s the best offensive catcher in MLB. He’s far from the best all-around catcher.
There are other effective models of rebuilding that don’t entail trading every player of value.
You don’t build around a 30 year old catcher, no way.
Stroman doesn’t really have a 3 year contract. He has opt outs the next 2 years I believe. So trading him might happen. Before he even pitched a game for the Cubs he was talking about leaving, so deal him if anybody wants him. he’s injured anyway. They should trade Happ because Suzuki is coming back and they could give Velasquez a decent shot for the rest of the year. They have some pretty good OF prospects who could be here soon, Plus Morel has thrown himself into the picture. Happ is very streaky so deal him I say. Even though decent SH’s are hard to find.
He only has one opt out. That’s not until the 2nd year. So again it would be stupid to trade someone 4 months into a multi year deal.
So your contention is that the Cubs will contend next year then? That would make keeping Stroman a SMART thing rather than trade him now to somebody if like you say he can’t opt out til after the 2nd year? Please spare me, The Cubs aren’t contending any time soon that would make keeping Stroman any kind of rational prospect. When you’re through, Don’t forget to wash your hands.
You clearly have never followed baseball if you don’t see the goal was to trade stroman asap if they could get a good offer. Subtracting from their weak starting pitching doesn’t matter because, and I’m repeating myself, they are not trying to win. But your so smart with your plan of hanging on to all their players extending a 30 year old catcher and paying stroman for no reason. Next you’re going to say they should extend Hayward
Cubs should definitely not trade Ian Happ. HRs underrated. His strong side is usually the left but he’s been great from the right side as well this year. Besides Contreras I would definitely hold onto Happ. Would love to see with the cubs his whole career.
Merrifield is 33. Looks like he’s in fast decline.
No. It’s because the Royals keep playing him in the OF. He hits when he can stay at 2B.
Merrifield is starting to look like another juiced ball merchant. The Royals should have sold high on him a few years ago
Wonder where it all started for Cabrera ?
You could see the mistake with Merrifield a mile away. I predicted three years ago, that he would 33 this year. I understand being a fan favorite and all, but their attendance is in the tank because they can’t win. Trading him would’ve hastened the rebuild.
Everyone predicted it. even Royals’ fans. Another one in the long line of DM failures
Cabrera – overrated. The young naive stathead numb n u t baseball crowd will say otherwise, but those of us that have been watching the game for decades know better.
The Cubs shouldn’t trade Happ. They do that, they’d be happless
I would love Happ in a Padres uniform… we need his bat in our lineup..with Manny and Tatis do back, one as early as tomorrow.. the other around 8/1..Happ can slide right into the lineup at various positions adding a nice bat for the stretch run… as gar as a package for him..maybe something like Rosario #6 + Mears #10 for Happ + a BP arm