The Chicago Cubs have plenty of reliable contributors on one of the most impressive lineups in MLB, and Ian Happ remains one of the most consistent players on the roster. Happ is off to a strong start in 2026, posting a .200 batting average, .289 on-base percentage, .839 OPS, four home runs and seven RBIs across his first 10 games.
The 31-year-old also remains one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball as a four-time Gold Glove Award winner. Originally drafted by Chicago in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, he has lived up to expectations, and this year, he is looking to help the club make a second consecutive trip to the MLB playoffs.
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Despite Happ’s success this year, he missed Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, and once again, he was not in the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale, immediately raising concerns about his health.
However, Cubs manager Craig Counsell quickly eased those concerns when speaking to reporters during pregame.
He announced that Happ is dealing with a heel injury suffered in the series opener against Tampa Bay and that the area had swollen, though it is improving.
Counsell added that Happ would be available off the bench and that the plan was to give him two straight days of rest before Thursday’s scheduled off day (h/t Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune).
If Happ does not appear off the bench on Wednesday, his next chance to return to the starting lineup will come Friday at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the Cubs just beginning the 2026 MLB season, it would not be surprising if Happ remains on the bench to get three full days off his feet.
It is a pivotal year for Happ individually. He is currently the longest-tenured player on the Cubs, and this season marks his tenth with the organization, yet it could also be his final one in Chicago.
Happ has expressed a desire to remain with the franchise long-term and is open to an extension, but no deal has materialized, and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
With both his future and the Cubs’ postseason hopes tied closely to his production, keeping Happ healthy early in the year is huge for Chicago’s long-term outlook.
