The northside of Chicago is roaring following the Cubs' clinching a Playoff spot. After defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 on Wednesday, the Cubs will play in October for the first time since 2020.
A moment that was indeed special for everyone involved, but especially true for OF Ian Happ. In 2017, Happ joined the Cubs as a rookie, one year after they ended their 108-year drought and won the World Series.
As a result, Happ got to play with the core of Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Javier Biaz, and Kyle Schwarber.
Cubs catcher Pete Crow Armstrong recognized that. After the game, Crow-Armstrong shared a moment where Happ reached out and left him a message, per ESPN.
“There was definitely a mention of, ‘This is not the last,'” Crow-Armstrong said. “I mean, Ian learned from some of the best. Ian is one of the best at passing that on. Ian has meant a lot to me, just as a person. I'll follow his lead. … I've got full trust in Ian Happ as a leader.”
Happ is in his 8th season with the Cubs. This year, he is batting .243 with 129 hits, 23 home runs, and 73 RBIs.
Meanwhile, Crow-Armstrong is batting .247 with 138 hits, 29 home runs, and 90 RBIs.
9 years later, the Cubs are back where they want to be
Ironically enough, it takes almost a decade after winning the World Series for the Cubs to return to October.
In 2016, they ended the “Curse of the Billy Goat” by defeating Cleveland in an epic seven game series. Afterward, the centuries long burden was lifted off Cubs fans.
Today, there is a resurgence of optimism in the friendly confines. In addition to Happ and Crow-Armstrong, there is Kyle Tucker, Dansby Swanson, and Seiya Suzuki to round up a core group on the offensive end.
In terms of pitching, the Cubs have Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele. If the Playoffs already began, the Cubs would play the San Diego Padres.
