It appears that the Chicago Cubs will not be without one of its stars to open the 2019 season.
The Chicago Cubs received some worrying news when Ian Happ was diagnosed with a slight hamstring strain.
That jeopardized the starting right fielder’s availability on Opening Day.
Those types of injuries are never to be taken lightly, since improper rehabilitation can prolong the healing process and cause problems to persist.
With Happ gradually returning to the fold, manager Craig Counsell conducted some little experiments by assigning players to alternative roles in case they needed to be inserted there.
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However, it appears like the Cubs won’t have to worry about their two-time Gold Glove-winning left fielder missing Opening Day.
According to MLB.com, the star is making good progress in his recuperation after having some at-bats in live game action. They’re now ready for him to start stepping up his baseball activities.
Back on March 6, Happ stated, “It will be a slow process. It’s spring training. “I’m not going to push anything, but it feels good.”
Since his debut in 2017, the 2022 All-Star has played a vital role for Chicago.
Happ’s career slash line in seven Major League seasons is.249/.343/.454, with an average of 25 home runs and 75 RBI each season.
If he had missed time, the outfield would have shifted accordingly.
Following the Cubs’ announcement that top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong would be reassigned to Triple-A, the expected four outfielders were Happ, Cody Bellinger, Mike Tauchman, and Seiya Suzuki.
Who would have taken over the No. 4 spot would have been interesting to watch, as they clearly believe Crow-Armstrong needs more time in the minors.
But it doesn’t appear that Chicago will have to worry about that, as Happ is making good progress and has plenty of time to meet all of the necessary rehab stats to be on the field for Opening Day.
