(670 The Score) Cubs outfielder Ian Happ has endured a season of struggles in 2021, entering Friday with a .183 batting average and .636 OPS.
For Happ, working through such challenges in baseball is a grueling part of being a player, as he explained to the Bernstein & Rahimi Show on Friday morning.
"One of the most difficult things to do for us as players is to go through that struggle," Happ said. "To feel like you're not helping this team and feel like you're not exactly sure how to get out of it.
"It can be a lonely feeling. It can be a difficult place to be mentally.
"It's one of the things that makes this job pretty tough."
Happ experienced breakthroughs at the plate from 2019-'20, posting a slash line of .260/.350/.530 with 23 home runs and 58 RBIs over 387 plate appearances. This season, he has a slash line of .183/.295/.341 with nine homers and 21 RBIs over 243 plate appearances.
The Cubs (42-39) have lost six straight games and trail the NL Central-leading Brewers by 6.5 games. The Cubs open a three-game series at the Cincinnati Reds on Friday evening. Pregame starts at 5:35 p.m. on 670 The Score.
