Chicago Cubs: Who will play outfield in the postseason?

Happ-y to help

Happ, who was once supposed to only be on the major league roster for a few games, earned his playing time with his impressive power surge. The rookie has 22 home runs and was a big lift at times for the Cubs in the first half of the season when the offense was towards the bottom in a lot of categories. When you think about Bryant-Rizzo-Schwarber-Happ in the middle of the lineup, it’s scary. I didn’t even mention Willson Contreras.

Maddon will make the call based on matchups like he has all season, but I believe he will give Happ majority of the starts in center field, use Almora as a late defensive replacement and use Jay as a key pinch-hitter off the bench. He could also slide Jay or Happ in left field.

If there is a lefty starter, I believe Maddon will bench Schwarber. And I’m all for it. In 80 at-bats, Schwarber is only hitting .175 against left-handed pitching. Slide in Zobrist or Happ, both switch hitters.

However, if a right-handed batter is on the mound, Maddon needs to play Schwarber. He’s proven time and time again he’s the Cubs version of Mr. October. People forget he sat all of last season, except three games, then came back to play in the World Series and played a big role in that series. He could of played a bigger role if the DH was in the National League, but that’s for another post down the line.

Next: Should Lackey be on the playoff roster?

So, Schwarber-Happ-Heyward is my postseason starting outfield. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. But first, the Cubs have a division to win. The Cubs look to make the postseason for three straight years for the first time since 1908, ironically. They will need a lot of luck this weekend, but they could be spraying champagne in the opposing dugout of Busch Stadium next week. It’s nice when your team controls their own destiny.