Cubs Trade Rumors: Which current players should be moved at the deadline?

This is the best we have seen Ian Happ play in a Cubs’ uniform. Would he be worth moving if it means high-end talent in return?

It took a few seasons, but it looks like we are finally seeing the form of Ian Happ we have been waiting for. Through 33 games played this season, Happ is slashing a career-best .288/.417/.577 with seven home runs,17 RBI and a .994 OPS. Coming off a two-home run performance in Sunday’s win over the Reds, the timing of today’s trade deadline could not be more perfect to deal Happ.

You might be wondering, why on Earth would the Cubs trade the guy who has been their best hitter this season? Well, it is for that reason exactly. Happ has been the most consistent Cub during this shortened 2020 season and has put up the best numbers during his fourth year in the big leagues.

At just 25 years old, Happ will have a lot of upside for teams around the league. Not to mention, he will not be eligible to become a free agent until the 2024 season.

Is this upside worth the Cubs hanging onto? Happ has gone through hot-and-cold stretches during his time at the MLB level. During his inaugural season in 2017, the outfielder hit 24 home runs and drove in 68 runs. Since then, Happ has struggled to find consistency and spent the majority of last season in Iowa before being called up to play in 58 games where he showed some improvement: .264 AVG 11 HR, 30 RBI.

Now I would not just trade Happ for nothing. If he is dealt, it would have to be in a deal, which improves the current roster into an immediate World Series contender.

In the future, could Happ end up being even better than what we’ve seen so far this season? Absolutely, but we were saying the same things about the likes of Addison Russell and other players who did not evolve as we hoped in recent years, and now the team is in a tough spot moving forward.

A few of these players are still on the current roster.