NEWSLETTER
After his blistering hot first week in the big leagues – which included his first career homer in St. Louis against the Cardinals – Ian Happ cooled off considerably.
From May 23 to May 31 (the last game before he moved into the leadoff spot in this most recent Cardinals series), Happ hit just .071/.161/.071 with a 41.9% strikeout rate. As we discussed, pitchers were taking advantage of an apparent inability to handle fastballs up in the zone.
It is too early to say for sure that Happ has adjusted already, but he sure have a great night last night against two upper-half pitches (via @Cubs):
Happy trails. ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/gPk9IJWdP0
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 5, 2017
That’s over 800 feet worth of dingers, and each ball was absolutely blistered:
— Cubs Exit Velocity (@cubsexitvelo) June 5, 2017
— Cubs Exit Velocity (@cubsexitvelo) June 5, 2017
The homers were Happ’s third and fourth on the season, and first since all the way back on May 16. Fun fact: if you combine the 9 homers he hit at AAA before his promotion, Happ is up to 13 total on the season, which is one more than Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. Team leader! Kinda-but-not-really!
Happ is currently hitting .235/.325/.515, which is good for a 119 wRC+. His strikeout rate has ballooned to an untenable 35.1%, but some level of elevation there was always to be expected here in his debut season, especially given how little upper-level minor league experience he has.
Deservedly, Happ got his first curtain call at Wrigley – hopefully the first of many:
When 40,000 of your friends want to say "Thanks." pic.twitter.com/UPoNzttqWv
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) June 5, 2017
