Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ is in the lineup for Wednesday night's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after fans held their breath when he left last night's game following the seventh inning.
Happ will be batting cleanup behind Seiya Suzuki as the Cubs look to secure the series victory over the division-leading Pirates.
On Tuesday, the Cubs outfielder broke out of a long home run drought by blasting a go-ahead three-run blast in the first inning, just his fifth round-tripper of the season.
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Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for tonight's game against Pittsburgh, with left-hander Drew Smyly on the mound.
- Mike Tauchman, CF
- Nico Hoerner, 2B
- Seiya Suzuki, RF
- Ian Happ, DH
- Dansby Swanson, SS
- Christopher Morel, LF
- Matt Mervis, 1B
- Yan Gomes, C
- Nick Madrigal, 3B
While some fans will likely still express concern with a lineup that doesn't have Happ back in the outfield, Happ himself stated that his leg was feeling fine during an interview on the Bernstein and Homes Show on 670 The Score Wednesday morning.
“The calf’s good,” he said. “A little bit of a cramp last night coming around after getting hit in the front of the leg, but feeling good.”
MLB
Happ, who hit a home run in the first inning of the game, drove in another run when he was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning. He was able to remain in the game, eventually scoring on an RBI single by Yan Gomes, but he was removed in the top of the eighth, with Christopher Morel entering the game in left field.
Manager David Ross told media after the game that Happ’s calf “grabbed on him,” and said he would be reevaluated Wednesday.
It seems as though all systems are go, with the Cubs set to take on the Pirates again Wednesday night. Happ told the hosts on Bernstein and Holmes that he has a good relationship with the team’s coaching staff and trainers, and that he doesn’t feel like it will be difficult to communicate that he feels okay.
“I’ve been with the same training staff for a long time, and with Rossy for a long time, so there’s open lines of communication. They have a pretty good trust in me,” he said.
The home run was Happ’s first since May 5, with 118 at-bats between long balls. It set the tone for a big Cubs victory, as they cruised to an 11-3 win over the Pirates in the series opener at Wrigley Field.