Ian Happ welcomes sitting on bench to give new teammate more at bats

The Chicago Cubs are making a push for the NL Central, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by four games going into Wednesday’s games. Chicago is 8-2 in their last 10 games which includes a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With Chicago holding a playoff spot at the trade deadline, the front office went out and made a few moves. Most of it focused on the pitching side, the Cubs were able to acquire another outfielder in the deal with the New York Mets. In addition to getting Clay Holmes, Chicago also got Tyrone Taylor in the deal, adding a fielder and a bat.

But after acquiring Taylor, it means outfielder Ian Happ is likely going to lose bats and sit on the bench against lefties. Happ talked about that on a recent interview with 104.3 The Score.

Ian Happ is fine losing at bats to a new teammate

Ian Happ, Chicago Cubs — Jun 27, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ (8) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Taylor is better against lefties this season than Happ has been, allowing Craig Counsell to turn to him more. And Happ has no problem with that as he stated in the interview.

“I’m happy to have Tyrone here. He’s a great player who’s been around a long time and does a lot of things well. So for me, this year I haven’t been great against lefties. I’ll get some opportunities and get it right. Obviously, as a competitor you want to be in there as much as you possibly can. But for us and this group, it’s about winning as many ballgames as we can and however the coaching staff feels we can do that best.”

Ian Happ on sitting more often after the Cubs’ addition of Tyrone Taylor:

“I’m happy to have Tyrone here. He’s a great player who’s been around a long time and does a lot of things well. So for me, this year I haven’t been great against lefties. I’ll get some opportunities and… pic.twitter.com/5es7z4Iqid

— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) August 12, 2026

There’s been some criticism surrounding Happ and his play. But him being a good teammate is something that has always been a plus for him. Hopefully this works out for both players and the Cubs can keep rolling.

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