Ian Happ Could Join Division Rival and Torment the Chicago Cubs

Imagine the Ian Happ haters watching the Chicago Cubs play on the road next year and all of a sudden he’s destroying baseballs for the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark. Happ sounded like a player who knows his team is ready to move on when he spoke to media earlier this week in spring training and while we’re focused on 2026, Happ’s pending free agency could mark the end to his decade-long run with the Cubs.

There’s at least one Chicago baseball insider who already has a division rival on Happ’s free agent list as Bruce Levine said on Twitter that he projects the Reds to be a suitor for the 32-year-old outfielder next offseason.

“Would expect Cincinnati to be a possible next place for Happ,” Levine wrote on Tuesday and if you’re truly a Cubs’ die-hard, then you know it could be a great place for Happ.

The switch-hitter has played 63 career games at Great American Ballpark and his numbers are insane inside the Reds’ home stadium. While Happ has been a consistent performer throughout his career with the Cubs, his power his come and gone. Overall, Happ has slugged .447 since coming up in 2017, and his slugging % hasn’t been over .500 since 2020. Happ’s career high for home runs in a single season is 25, which he accomplished twice, 2021 and 2024.

Now, compare those numbers to 262 plate appearances in Cincinnati. Happ is slashing .291/.393/.619, with a 1.012 OPS and 167 wRC+ with 18 home runs in 63 games. I mean, most players would be a great fit in that park, but Happ has been way better at Great American Ballpark than anywhere else.

It would 100% suck to see Happ go off and put up big power numbers with the Reds after he went mostly under appreciated with the Cubs because despite solid to good numbers Happ hasn’t been the traditional, slugging corner outfielder at Wrigley Field.

Happ already gave the Cubs a hometown discount by signing an extension before the 2023 season. If he does end up going to free agency after this year and he wants to cash in, then the Reds might be a team that pays up for him. And you just know he’d kill the Cubs.

We talked about Happ’s comments about his future and what it means for the Cubs beyond 2026 on this week’s Pinwheels And Ivy podcast.