Cubs' potential Ian Happ replacement may be hiding on Rockies roster

The Chicago Cubs took a big step toward moving on from Ian Happ after 11 years together, refusing to give him a qualifying offer ahead of free agency. As such, he will head into the open market for the first time in his career, unburdened by the draft-compensation baggage associated with the QO.

It's still possible, of course, that the Cubs and Happ could reunite. He's been such a stalwart in left field that it's hard to imagine someone else filling his shoes, and a colder-than-expected market could bring him back to Chicago for at least another year, perhaps on a deal that would allow him to retest free agency when a lockout isn't looming over everything.

However, with Seiya Suzuki getting the QO himself, it's pretty clear which corner outfielder the Cubs are prioritizing this offseason. It's likely that someone else will have to patrol left field at the Friendly Confines in 2027, which could push the team to seek out replacements via free agency or trade if their in-house options (Kevin Alcantara, Justin Dean, Matt Shaw, and Pedro Ramirez) aren't ready for that kind of responsibility.

Jake McCarthy is a suitable bridge option in left field if Cubs can't retain Ian Happ

Steven Kwan has been an oft-mentioned target for the Cubs via trade, though he'd cost the kind of prospect package that Jed Hoyer might be saving up for a quality starting pitcher. A lot of resources will have to be funneled into that channel this offseason, which could make a low-cost replacement for Happ even more attractive than he'd otherwise be.

Therefore, I submit Jake McCarthy as a name to watch over the next month prior to the lockout. He's had a very mixed career, oscillating between above- and below-average seasons, but he just wrapped up the 2026 campaign hitting .291/.334/.475 with a career-high 15 home runs and 32 stolen bases. And, for those worried that his numbers were inflated from playing in Coors Field, note that his park-adjusted wRC+ of 108 was actually higher than Happ's mark of 107.

That's not to suggest he'd be an upgrade over the longtime Cub, but McCarthy is a solid all-around player. His defense is probably the weakest part of his game, but he's been roughly a league-average outfielder while spending more than 1,250 career innings at all three spots. There's value in his versatility, especially since he's a left-handed hitter who just rocked southpaws to the tune of a 133 wRC+.

He shouldn't cost much given his spotty track record and the Rockies' lack of leverage, even though a 29-year-old with two years of team control remaining owed a projected salary of $4.6 million next year should have quite a bit of value on the trade market. If the Cubs can get him for some mid-level prospect talent -- reserving their best assets for controllable pitching -- it'd be a nice consolation prize in the wake of losing Happ.

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