Aug 4, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Ian Happ (8) looks on during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Cubs punted on the 2021 season at the trade deadline, but they can still demote this one player to promote this specific prospect.
The Chicago Cubs enjoyed a brief stretch of success at the start of this season. But once an 11-game losing streak fell into their laps, the Cubs organization opted to sell at the trade deadline. Nearly every player of value or who had an expiring contract was moved, including Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel.
With the Cubs’ fielding a skeleton crew for the remainder of the season, this provides them the opportunity to call up some prospects to see what they can bring at the major league level. Of course, that will come at the expense of a major league player who is underperforming.
Here is one player the Cubs should demote and one prospect the organization needs to promote to Chicago.
Cubs player to demote: Ian Happ
During the 2020 truncated season, Ian Happ was one of the Cubs’ best hitters on the roster. The same can not be said for this campaign.
After a month of April where he accumulated a batting average of .132, Happ redeemed himself throughout the month of May, where he recorded a .292 batting average, a .971 OPS, five home runs, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored and 19 hits. Once June hit, the production declined yet again.
Following Thursday’s game against the Colorado Rockies, Happ is slashing .179/.294/.329 while recording 11 home runs, 28 RBI, 32 runs scored and 50 hits.
The Cubs’ major league roster is rather barren following the amount of trades they made this past month, which is why Happ was batting in the No. 3 spot for the team in Thursday’s game. Even with that, the Cubs can call up a prospect who can fill-in in the outfield.