The Chicago Cubs will call up Ian Happ for the first time this season, the Chicago Tribune reported, after the utility man had a productive run at Triple-A Iowa.
Happ has played in 257 major league games over the previous two seasons, but was sent back to the minor leagues to work on his offense, in particular an excessive strikeout rate. He struck out 167 times in 142 games last season.
Happ, 24, is batting .242 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs at Iowa, with 113 strikeouts in 99 games. He has been solid of late delivering 11 hits in his last 33 at-bats with six strikeouts. He will join the Cubs on Friday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The former first-round selection in 2015, who made his major league debut two years later, Happ is a career .242 hitter in the major leagues with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs, including 24 home runs in 115 games in 2017.
–Field Level Media
