The Cubs and outfielder Ian Happ came to an agreement on a $10.85MM salary for the 2023 season in order to avoid arbitration, per The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
Happ, 28, has spent his entire professional career as a member of the Cubs organization. He delivered a strong debut campaign in the 2017 season, posting a .253/.328/.514 slash line, good for a 114 wRC+ and some down-ballot Rookie of the Year votes while splitting time between second base and center field. The following season, Happ split time between all three outfield spots as well as third base but took a step back offensively, posting a slash line of just .233/.353/.408 (106 wRC+) in 142 games with a worrisome 36.1% strikeout rate.
Happ spent much of the 2019 season at Triple-A Iowa working on his game, and appeared to have made improvements by the time he came up in the second half: in 58 games that season, he slashed .264/.333/.564 (126 wRC+) while cutting his strikeout rate all the way down to 25.0%. Happ’s improved game carried into the shortened 2020 campaign, where he looked like a potential MVP candidate early in the season before an injury an early September caused him to slump down the stretch. Still, he managed a 132 wRC+ on the year after his hot start to the shortened season. That slump continued throughout the first half of the 2021 season as Happ slashed .193/.296/.330 in the first half, though a strong second half allowed him to push his overall season numbers back above league average.
After a difficult year in 2021, however, Happ was able to post the best full season of his career in 2022, and looked like a completely different hitter while doing it. He posted a career high in doubles, a career low strikeout rate, earned a gold glove after settling into a full-time role in left field rather than bouncing around the diamond as he had in the past, and even managed to correct his heavy platoon split from previous years, becoming a largely split neutral player. All this led to his first career All Star appearance in 2022 and allowed him to earn over $10MM in his final trip through arbitration this offseason, even narrowly beating out the $10.6MM projection of MLBTR contributor Matt Schwartz.
While Happ is set to become a free agent following the 2023 season, rumblings of an extension have permeated throughout the offseason, with both Happ and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer reportedly looking to start any potential extension talks before Spring Training, according to Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Aloha folks, this is good news. Not sure if an extension gets done but thankfully Happ’s current situation is settled now. Mahalo
Hello, kgcubs. You are correct this is good news. I am also not sure if an extension is in the works. You are also correct the article stated the how the current situation is settled. Mahalo to you as well.
The current article is written on the internet in for me to read. I have two feet, one left foot and one right foot.
I have added to the discussion.
@BeansforJesus And now we know why your mother keeps denying you.
@Capi. It’s a shame, right? Now if I could just get yours to stop offering to “tongue punch my fart box”, I already have your father for that job.
Tongue punch my fart box Roflmao to funny but your momma jokes? c’mon lets keep mom and dad’s fart box out of baseball talk but I can’t stop laughing
Yanks- Yeah that got real strange , Real fast didn’t it? TPMFB is gonna be a new acronym for me from now on. LOL
@yanks. Sounds good. I’ll keep Capi’s parent’s fart boxes out of my mouth and they can do the same with mine.
Glad we can all come to an amicable compromise.
It sure did
I just used it on the hockey site. Maybe it catches on. LMAO
Well my parents told me they were fine with that as long as you keep eating their feces in a cup…
No worries, I won’t insult your momma, as she’d be glad to see her waste of sprm creature go away.
No deal! The deal was I’d only eat their feces from a BOWL and long as I could keep sleeping with both of their parents regardless of whether they are living or not.
I won’t insult your mom either. And I hope she never considers you a waste of my sperm.
So if my NL favorite team the Cubbies are a playoff team by the trading deadline Happ stays. If not, he’s definitely traded to a contender somewhere for prospects, and my AL favorite team the Yankees make the most sense for Mr. Happ.
He’ll be a Top 10 free agent next year. Extremely versatile and valuable.
Aloha Buzz, absolutely agree with you and why I think no extension takes place. Especially since this next off season has a smaller group of strong FA candidates, Ian probably wants to test the “waters.” Just happy he’s around for this season. Mahalo!
If he is top 10, that is a pretty disappointing offseason. I thought there were quite a few guys like Nola, Darvish, Montana, Snell, and quite a few others. Gallo may be a top 10 guy if he rebounds due to the shift rules.
Joe Montana?
Tony. Say hello to my little friend
Depends on some opt outs, but for the definite FAs as of now, we have Ohtani, Urias, Nola, Darvish, Giolito, Severino, Teoscar, Snell, Hader, Hoskins all there. I’m sure Machado will join them. Maybe Lynn, Tim Anderson, Marquez. Happ definite top 10 bat, but prob not overall. Still, if he’s there, he’ll have plenty of interest.
Cubs should let him walk at that price then. They should be looking for a team friendly w a little cost of living compensation.
Happ is at his highest value now and will only decrease as soon as opening day happens. They can and should trade him now.
Cubs spent a bit this offseason and they’re not in the strongest division. Playoffs are not out of the question for them.
We’ll take him. He rakes in our ballpark.
At 11 million he’s way out of your price range. Like 10 million too high.
You’re right, to expect competency from a team with a projected 80 million payroll that has gone as high as 130 million before is too much to ask of this owner apparently.
Agreed. Yankees. They need a LF, and a LH bat (although he’s a switch-hitter, even better).
What would be a fair trade for Ian Happ in your opinion?
Clip, Cubs aren’t going to trade Happ at this time – they fully expect to compete for the division this year. And certainly believe a Wild Card is also possible. Happ is a valuable, complementary player- he adds value to a team, in multiple ways. He is an important LH (Switch hitting) bat in the lineup. Cubs don’t have an abundance of those, at this time.
Well the Cubs are pretty much set( At least to them anyway) But I don’t think the Cubs deal him unless Davis or Velasquez takes off in Spring. They had a good candidate in Canario until he got injured and all their other options are at least a year away. They’ll more than likely wait until the deadline and see how it’s going. The only thing the Cubs need maybe are bullpen guys but I doubt the Yankees trade any of theirs. Your young SS’s would be nice if we didn’t have Hoerner and Swanson with Hernandez coming so not really sure what can be done now.
I’m actually disappointed that the Cubs are signing the usual stewbums for Iowa. I was really looking forward to there being actual prospects there instead of retreads. Every year they sign 10 LH P’s who never throw a pitch in the majors. They just take up space. The OF’s they are signing reek of Ortega and Hermisillo already, They must miss lame. Davis probably has no shot at going north and should be at Iowa until he proves he actually stay healthy, and hopefully these dregs don’t take any playing time away from the young guys. The only LH P they signed that I like and might have a shot is Elias. If he’s healthy he has major league stuff but why he’s any better than Little or Horn in the system at this point to take up a spot is curious. Velasquez has struggled at first at every level he’s been to so I have more hope for him this year. If they keep him.
@Unclemike- I think that’s more about not having to start the prospects clocks and/or burn an option for 2023. I can see them being competitive enough to push for a playoff spot with where our MLB roster is and it stays healthy. I think the scrub signing guys will be riding the bus between Iowa and Chicago as needed and hopefully minimally. Or some may even just get released after their time in Chicago as the seasons end nears. At least there’s a guy like Velasquez with more upside that will be on that bus too. Now as far as the better prospects, I can see them getting their shots when the rosters expand in September. Of course, the best case scenario is a guy like PCA tears up AA, does the same in AAA for about a month and just forces his way onto the big league roster before the end of August in time to qualify for the post season roster. I think Brennan Davis is gonna need the season to get comfortable and right trusting he’s healthy and getting everything locked in. Would love it if he gets a chance this year too, but I think the group of guys that are around the corner for 2024 and beyond will make this a pretty special team.
NicoHoerndawg- I can’t even begin to tell how sick I am of hearing about “Players Clocks” and holding guys back. Every year I hear Players whining about that rule and every time the CBA comes around I expect the players to grow a spine and bargain that away and every time they cave like jello. If you can play in the Majors you should play in the Majors without a penalty. Keeping a guy down doesn’t even guarantee you get a guy cheaper, Just means you get an extra arb year. Soto just got what like 25 million? So if you’re good your still gonna get paid. It’s just dumb. Almost as dumb as that rule in hockey that keeps prospects from playing in certain league’s because of some sad agreement between league’s. You should be able to compete at whatever level is best for the player without penalty. Anything else is just stupid.
@Clipper- right now the best case scenario would be to trade Gleyber Torres for Ian Happ. Granted Mr. Happ signs an extension with the Yankees prior to the trade.
@Capt99 I’m going to disagree with trading Gleyber now as they need him at 2B. Nobody knows what to make of DJL’s recovering bummed toe. I understand that you want to push for a youth movement with the team but neither Peraza and Cabera are sure things now. Volpe is even further away and needs to play in AAA a little while longer.
CaptainJudge- What would the Cubs do with Torres? I doubt he would even make the infield roster. Already have 5 2B and 3 SS’s. And maybe you forgot where you got him from. we already traded him because he wasn’t a sure thing obviously. And for once they were right. And at 3rd, At least Wisdom can hit 30 homers. He might whiff 280 times but he’d still be better and be a better defender there.and Morel backing him up is just as good as Torres.
Spot on kayrall! Trade him to Miami for pitching. They are dumb and desperate enough to do it
I agree his value is higher than ever right now. Either trade him and ask for too much and maybe some team will bite or sign him to 5 years at 90-100 mil. I love Happ and want him with the team,but if some team blows your socks off Cubs should take it.
I’m sure u can have him at 20 mil per. Good luck w that.
Benitendi got 5 for 75. I’d say 5 for 85 is spot on for Happ. I thought the cubs should of tried to extend Schwarber right before they cut him. No clue what’s in hoyers head. The Cubs do have the vast majority of their top prospects playing outfield and Seiya for 4 more years. Maybe they just move on but the revolving door of home grown cubs is getting frustrating. It would sure be nice to have Rizzo in that lineup right now or even Bryant.
Unfortunately, Happ is not a long term solution for the Cubs. Too many all-star potential prospects behind him with contract control.I suspect he will be traded at the trade deadline if the Cubs look out of contention.
I see Ian Happ getting a 6-7 year deal with total dollar amount been 180-220 million dollars.
That’s way too much. I could see something like 6 yr/$100m
Benintendi just got a 5/75 from the White Sox, so I suspect any Happ extension has to start at 5/100.
I am thinking six years 115-120 million to get it done. Probably not worth it. He is not greeting traded unless Marlins want to trade a starter like Lopez or Cabrera and since Happ cannot play CF that won’t happen. Cubs should keep Happ for the season unless they are way out at trade deadline.
30M/yr with more guaranteed money than Bryant or Baez got? What are you smoking?
Math 101- 12o million for 6 years is 20 million a year. It’s still way too much. Math 102-. All money in baseball is guaranteed. Just in case you were curious.
Your logistics on this are wrong guy.
He’s in the 15-20M AAV if he maintains 2022 performance in 2023, which is not a given. He would need to take another huge step forward to approach 25-30M AAV. Not impossible, but also not very likely.
Wow I want to be valued in your crystal ball…
Happ is a solid player but he is worth right around Benitendi money 5/75, give or take a some based on how he plays next season. Right now, 5/80-6/100 is his range. I do like Happ but last year was his only “complete” season where he played great defense, hit for a strong average from both sides of the plate and didn’t go on prolonged slumps where he was basically unwatchable. The bad part of his excellent season is it came at the expense of his home run power.
Ian Happ Is a Gold Glove outfielder a middle of order RBI machine along with good batting average.
Plus he only 28 years old so a 6-7 year contract take him to age 35-36 years old. Plus he does a lot of off field work for needy organizations
Billionaire Steve C In New York would like to add him
WTF? Happ was an IF and part time OF when they drafted him. A good OF is moving before the ball is even hit and gets a jump on the ball which Happ doesn’t and never will. His arm strength is below average but he does get rid of the ball quickly which is only real asset. Average speed and as far as being an RBI machine are you kidding? He had 72 last year. RBI machine? Really? There’s so much wrong with that I’m reeling. He’s a decent SH and reliable which makes him valuable but he’s certainly not irreplaceable.
Lol. Cubs should find a gm w your view and trade him to that franchise today
Not really sure what everybody thinks they’re going to get in a trade for Happ but a really good Reliever is probably the best you could hope for. I’m not sure there’s a big difference between Happ and Profar with the slight advantage to Happ and Profar doesn’t even have a job yet. If the Cubs could get a solid reliever for Happ and trade for Laureano that would be deals I could make. With the shift rules and the fact that a P has to pitch a whole inning now, plus toss in the DH, Lefty-Righty means less and less than ever.
I have no skin in this game but it’s a wet dream to think you are getting Happ for a reliever in a trade.
He should bring u back more than just Lopez. Lopez plus another young arm in system like Eder or Fulton. That’s a nice haul for a peak value Happ
Maybe not because you get two years of Pablo and one year of Ian. But fish need CF not a corner dude
Future Yankee left fielder.
He will definitely go to a large market team as small markets won’t have a chance to afford him.
I doubt that Ian Happ signs a new contact with New York Yankees.
Both John H In New York Post and Michael Kay ESPN New York think that Yankees left field Is in their farm system.
I doubt that there Is not two more guys like JH and MK who are tie close to Yankees then those two guys.
Extend him now, please Jed..For all he has done for the club on and off the field..plus he wants to stay a cub.
He won’t be on my fantasy team