(670 The Score) The Cubs will activate left fielder Ian Happ ahead of their game against the Marlins on Tuesday evening, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said on the Mully & Haugh Show. That will represent the minimum stay for Happ on the 10-day injured list as he dealt with an oblique injury.
And as he returns, Happ is likely to return to his previous place as the Cubs’ leadoff man, Hoyer said – despite burgeoning star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong's strong production there in Happ's absence.
“I think (Crow-Armstrong) can definitely do that job, for sure,” Hoyer told the Mully & Haugh Show. “I think we have a couple of really good options. Ian did a great job in that spot. He sees so many pitches, he gets on base. When you have him and (Kyle) Tucker hitting one, two, there’s so much traffic on the bases for the other guys, it really helps. And then with Pete, he’s a different style of hitter. He’s dangerous right away. The way he’s hitting for power, and he’s getting on base, he’s creating havoc.
“My guess is that Ian will start leading off again, and Pete will probably go not quite as far down the order, but obviously Craig (Counsell) and I will talk about that.”
The Cubs like Happ in the leadoff spot in large part because of his consistent ability to get on base. He boasts a .364 on-base percentage this season compared to Crow-Armstrong's .317 mark. Happ owns a career .344 on-base percentage.
Hoyer and the Cubs also believe that having power in the leadoff spot is crucial, and Happ and Crow-Armstrong have both displayed that.
“Certainly I think to myself if you’re a pitcher starting off a game and you're worried about your first pitch of the game getting hit for a homer, it’s unsettling,” Hoyer said. “I do think that getting your best hitters the most at-bats and also having some fear i the opposing pitcher right away, there’s real value in that.”
The Cubs will send rookie Moises Ballesteros to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding roster move once Happ is officially activated, Hoyer said.