Chicago Cubs 2025 Position Analysis: Left Field

[Brian Kelder]

This will shock nobody who has followed the Cubs at all since 2020. Left Field is not a position battle. We all know Ian Happ will patrol the position for over 150 games per year as he has done the past three seasons. There it is, no need to read the rest!

Image courtesy of © Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Left field is in capable hands with Ian Happ. He's averaged 3.7 WAR in his past three seasons and won a Gold Glove award in each of them. His power numbers are consistent; his OPS has also been between .780 and .790 yearly. He regularly scores and drives in over 80 runs per season. There's not much to discuss here.

Statcast shows an elite plate approach with Happ in the 94th percentile for walk rate. Hard-hit metrics are all solidly above league average, buoyed by a low chase rate. Ian Happ has a solid grasp of who he is as a hitter and does not deviate from this approach. Strikeouts will always be part of his profile, as it is for many players with a low chase rate. While not the aircraft carrier type, Happ can be a valuable player in the proper context.

On the rare days when Ian Happ needs an off day, Kyle Tucker or Seiya Suzuki will slide over to fill the position. Vidal Brujan is around for now anyway and could also log some innings in left. This is a drama-free, projectable position.

So why does a sizeable contingent of Cub fans want Happ replaced? He's a perfectly fine player and is entering his ninth season on the squad. Noted lifelong Cub legends Mark Grace and Sammy Sosa played thirteen seasons in Chicago. Happ will reach ten next season and will likely pursue an extension to finish his career in Wrigley. Here are a couple of thoughts on why fans haven't embraced Ian Happ as much as other legends of yore.

Reason 1: He's the last remaining guy from the Good Seasons.
There's an undercurrent of "Why is Ian Happ still here when _____ is gone?" Anthony Rizzo was dealt. Javier Baez was as well. Kyle Schwarber was let go. So, the last man remaining from the last playoff victory is Ian Happ. He's never been at the level of the guys now gone.

Reason 2: The streakiness.
He does tend to have streaks, like most players. His cold streaks seem to be especially badly timed, with the Cubs team struggling simultaneously. Last season, he had a 110 at-bat stretch where he batted .170 in April and May, right when the Cubs were also dealing with injuries to Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, and Cody Bellinger. In 2023, the Cubs and Happ had a June swoon, following the same pattern.  It certainly didn't help the Cubs that Happ was struggling with the rest of the team and could give the appearance that his struggles led to the team's.

The streaky nature of Happ was more pronounced earlier in his career, and he does still have explosive hot streaks like his five home runs in 8 games this past summer. Just look at his Baseball Reference monthly stats from last year.

Months

Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
April/March	27	27	120	102	16	22	5	1	1	12	0	0	17	29	.216	.333	.314	.647	32	3	1	0	0	0	0	.292	69	88
May	26	25	104	91	13	21	6	0	5	12	2	1	11	31	.231	.317	.462	.779	42	1	1	0	1	0	1	.286	98	122
June	26	26	106	86	14	21	7	0	5	20	5	1	17	29	.244	.387	.500	.887	43	2	3	0	0	1	0	.308	127	147
July	25	25	103	91	16	23	6	0	6	18	0	0	11	24	.253	.330	.517	.847	47	0	0	0	1	0	0	.274	114	128
August	25	25	113	99	18	26	9	0	6	14	4	0	14	34	.263	.354	.535	.889	53	0	0	0	0	0	1	.339	125	142
Sept/Oct	24	24	111	100	12	25	1	1	2	10	2	0	10	21	.250	.324	.340	.664	34	1	1	0	0	0	0	.299	72	93

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/5/2025.

This is actually very consistent month to month. No, he doesn't go one for four every single game. But in the aggregate, Ian Happ has become almost metronome like in his statistical production.

Reason 3: Preconceived Notions
When a player is on a team that has not won a playoff game for the entire time he's been a regular player, fans assume that he's part of the problem, not the solution. This is partially true. He is not the type of player that elevates the overall level of a team. He's not being paid as such. The Cubs just have not had a lineup with higher end batters, which Happ is not. He's simply good. If this year's lineup can go from average to good, his value can be recalibrated among fans leading to more appreciation.

While I won't go so far as to say the Cubs are lucky to have Ian Happ in left field, it certainly could be much worse, and he does provide legitimate value. He's a solid all around player. Left field is in capable hands with Happ for the next two seasons.

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