Chicago Cubs: 3 possible trade destinations for Ian Happ

So let’s talk about Ian Happ and the fork in the road he finds himself at. On one hand, you have a player who seems to be the talk of trade town at least once a season when he underperforms, but then manages to completely flip the script and becomes a candidate for a contract extension instead. Regardless of which path he winds up taking, the inconsistencies in his game have to level off – and he’ll get the chance to show he can do that with the Chicago Cubs here in 2022.

Even though it isn’t a contract year for Happ, in many ways it almost feels like a ‘prove it’ season, regardless. Clearly, he has extreme stretches of lackluster performance followed by ridiculous hot streaks that have him going from looking like one of the worst to one of the better players in baseball. For the front office, it becomes maddening to see somebody with so much potential struggle so much from time to time because in the end you have to do what’s best for the team. With Happ’s situation and the prolonged hot streaks he does go on however, it only makes a decision for the front office on what to do with him that much harder.

We’ve watched Happ ride these highs and lows since he came into the league five years ago. He carries a .241/.338/.467 slash line – far from the worst, but equally far from the best, across baseball. Last season, he turned in a  .226/.323/.434 line. That mark is actually lower than his 2018 mark which served as a catalyst for him starting 2019 back in Triple-A Iowa.

Still, when he got consistent at-bats following the trade deadline, everything changed. He snapped his season-long slump and was finally consistent on a daily basis. That is exactly why right now is a fork in the road for him. Had he not finished strong, I’m not 100 percent sure he is still a Cub today. Regardless, he will have this year to prove himself. If he stays anything close to what we saw in September, he will be sticking around. If not, let’s look at three of the top candidates that could be looking to snatch up the young switch-hitter’s services.

Chicago Cubs: 3 trade destinations for Ian Happ – #3: New York Yankees

As will be the trend throughout this entire article, Ian Happ to the Yankees could work for multiple reasons. For one, the Yankees tend to sometimes find themselves lacking lefty bats in their lineup. Happ fills a hole in that department with his switch-hitting eligibility. Being able to plug Happ into the order knowing he can be a guy with a good matchup on any given night is something any team would want more of.

Furthermore, Happ’s multi-positional abilities give teams depth across the outfield and also at second base, as well. Though not the best defender in the league, it’s the ability to fill multiple holes that can get him into the lineup when you’re mixing and matching. Especially as a DH, Happ is the type of player that comes with extreme value if he is swinging a hot bat.

Speaking of that value, Happ is currently entering just his second year of arbitration which means he still has two years of team control before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2024. Currently, Happ is estimated to make an even $8 million this year. That type of salary bodes well for a high payroll team that can use a discount anywhere it can get one. But all of that isn’t even the main reason Happ’s fits on the Yankees.

Both Aaron Judge and Joey Gallo are set to become free agents after this season and are two holes in the outfield that will desperately be needed to be filled. Although there’s a solid chance Judge gets extended rather than walks, Gallo, on the other hand, is not necessarily a lock to stick around after this season. If Happ could be acquired via trade at the deadline, the Yankees wind up with their replacement outfielder for at least another season assuming Gallo’s contract is not renewed.

Chicago Cubs: 3 trade destinations for Ian Happ – #2: Boston Red Sox

In similar fashion, Happ to the Boston Red Sox makes sense due to the number of outfielders set to depart at season’s end. Enrique (Kike) Hernandez is set to earn $8 million, matching Happ’s projection for this season, before parting ways via free agency next winter. Hernandez, who is an outfield/infield hybrid in his own right, has been an average hitter most of his career but his ability to play multiple positions makes him very comparable to someone like Happ.

Also set to depart the Red Sox is Rob Refsnyder – who won’t be a huge loss. However, what will be interesting to see what happens is that of the $12.0M mutual option between the Red Sox and Jackie Bradley Jr. The veteran has been a good outfielder but slashes just .230/.311/.394 for his career and to be completely honest I’m not sure why the Red Sox took that contract via trade with the Milwaukee Brewers to reacquire him in the first place. He is owed $9.5 million for 2022.

Regardless, so many things really do come into play with a player like Happ. Though he doesn’t hit .300, he can provide good pop in the order and as many have seen, when he’s hot, he is red-hot and hard to stop. What adds value to an Ian Happ trade is not just his switch-hitting ability to give you 25-30 homers but the versatility he has defensively that gives different teams the ability to utilize him as they wish, giving guys regular rest throughout the season.