Chicago Cubs lose Ian Happ to sudden injury before Marlins finale

The Chicago Cubs are trying to avoid being swept by the Miami Marlins on Sunday. However, their attempt will be without outfielder Ian Happ.

Happ was scratched with left knee discomfort less than an hour before first pitch, via Pamela Paredes of MLB.com. He was replaced by Tyrone Taylor, who is playing left field and batting ninth.

“Less than an hour before first pitch against the Marlins on Sunday at loanDepot park, the Cubs scratched Ian Happ from the lineup with left knee discomfort,” Paredes wrote. “Happ was scheduled to start in left field and bat fifth. Instead, he was replaced by Tyrone Taylor, who batted ninth and played left field.”

The fact Happ is dealing with discomfort rather than a full blown injury is a good sign. Still, the Cubs will have plenty of questions to answer after the outfielder was scratched so close to first pitch. Those answers will likely come after the game.

Chicago has their eyes set on a deep playoff run. Losing Happ for any amount of time would only hurt their cause. They’ll hope his knee discomfort keeps him on the shelf short-term and won’t require an injured list stint. But Happ may need to undergo a few tests to be sure.

Chicago Cubs can’t afford to lose Ian Happ

A single game is one thing. But losing Happ for an extended period of time would be a brutal blow. Through 138 games in 2026, the outfielder is hitting .221 with 23 home runs and 64 RBIs. While his numbers may not jump off the page, Happ ranks fourth on the team in homers and sixth in RBIs.

Furthermore, the Cubs are well aware of what he brings to the field both at the plate and on defense. Over his 10 years with the franchise, Happ has hit .244 with 196 home runs, 621 RBIs and 74 stolen bases.

The outfielder won’t be able to improve on those numbers Sunday. Both Happ and the Cubs will hope that isn’t the case for long.

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