The Chicago Cubs drafted Ian Happ in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, and he has been in the big leagues since 2017.
Happ has played 1,291 career regular-season games for the Cubs going into Thursday's game. However, there is a chance that that game against the Miami Marlins is his final home game as a member of the Cubs. He will be a free agent after the season.
"This is the last controllable day here," Happ told ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "I'll take it in. It's crazy. 10 years of memories. There will be emotions. I want to savor it. There's no fanbase more supportive of its players."
Happ was an All-Star in 2022 and has won four consecutive Gold Gloves. It has been a down year in the batting average department for him, but he does have 24 home runs. There's a chance that the Cubs have to go on the road to play in the Wild Card Series, and if they get bounced, Happ will not get another opportunity to play at Wrigley Field.
It's unclear whether the Cubs will want Happ back in free agency, especially when more needy teams may be willing to overpay for him. However, one thing is certain: Happ has been a key player for the Cubs ever since he made his debut. He has been a model of consistency, and helping the team make a deep run in October would be a nice finish to his Cubs tenure, if it does indeed end after this season.
