Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ promises British fans ‘exciting’ game

Chicago Cubs slugger Ian Happ promised British fans that baseball’s long-awaited return to London would be worth the wait. He assured that fans would see a “high-speed” and “all-action” show in the baseball game next summer.

The Cubs will play against the St. Louis Cardinals in a two-match series at West Ham’s London Stadium, with more games scheduled for 2024 and 2026. The game was originally scheduled for June 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced the game to be canceled.

“There’s just tremendous athletes all over the field and that’s what makes us really exciting. It’s a really exciting part of our game and I think the fans will really like watching it,” Happ said.

The first London Series was held in 2019, featuring the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Around 60,000 people attended both games, the highest the MLB had ever seen since 2003.

Happ became an All-Star for the first time in July 2022, joining Cubs teammate and starting catcher Willson Contreras. He said it was the “ultimate source of pride,” something he had dreamed of since he was six years old. He won his first Gold Glove and batted .271 with 17 homers and 72 RBIs.

He has played with the Cubs for six years, making his MLB debut on May 13, 2017. Happ finished his 2020 season slashing .258/.361/.505 and 11 home runs in 57 games.

In the 2021 season, Happ hit .223/.323/.434 in 148 games for the Cubs. As for the 2022 season, he finished by triple-slashing .271/.342/.440 for a 120 wRC+ with 14 defensive runs in more than 158 games.

While the Cubs are looking forward to extending their contract with Happ, there are rumors that he is scouted as a potential trade for the Yankees. The player has been projected to be worth $10.6 million for one season.