Happ makes history with HR off 103.2 mph pitch

CHICAGO -- Ian Happ had just fouled off a slider from A’s closer Mason Miller that ran low and inside. The Cubs outfielder was five pitches deep into his ninth-inning meeting with one of baseball’s more intimidating relief arms and had already seen the heat twice, plus a pair of changeups.

Happ had to make a decision as he prepped for the next pitch.

“Just try to be on time for one of the fastest pitches in the game, I guess,” Happ said.

That was the right choice, as Miller uncorked a 103.2 mph fastball that tailed toward the outer edge of the strike zone. In the waning moments of a 4-3 loss to the A’s, Happ connected for an improbable solo shot, marking the fastest pitch hit for a home run by any MLB batter in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008).

• These are the fastest pitches hit for a home run in the pitch-tracking era

The blast off Miller was the second of the night for Happ, who tied a career high with 25 homers on the season, which he also accomplished in 2021. His deep flies were not enough to overcome the four runs Cubs lefty Jordan Wicks surrendered via three homers (two by A’s catcher Shea Langeliers), but it continued Happ’s solid offensive campaign.

“There’s been ups and downs,” Happ said of his season. “Obviously, the beginning was tough -- [then I] had a really good stretch there. Driving in runs has felt good -- coming through in some big spots.”

Back on May 21, Happ had a .207/.319/.305 slash line with just two home runs in 191 plate appearances for the Cubs. His OPS at that point sat at .624, which was his season low point after the calendar flipped to April. Since that tough start to his season, Happ has been a consistent threat for Chicago.

Over the 100 games that have followed that early stretch, Happ has turned in a .268/.358/.530 slash with 23 home runs, 26 doubles and 71 RBIs for the Cubs. All three of his multi-homer games this season have come in that time period, which has boosted his overall OPS to .807 on the season.

“I’ll evaluate that at the end of the season,” Happ said. “Right now, I feel like I made some really good swings today, and we’ll keep going tomorrow.”

Happ’s three-hit showing against Oakland began with his leadoff homer against right-hander Mitch Spence in a two-run third inning for the North Siders. In a 1-1 count, Spence sent an 88.1 mph cutter inside to Happ, who pulled the pitch high over right-center field, where the ball dropped into the first row of the bleachers.

In the ninth, when the A’s were clinging to a 4-2 lead, Happ did what he could to spark a late comeback against Miller.

“Ian had a heck of a game,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “That guy’s tough to score on. He’s tough to square up.”

Miller started Happ off with a 101.3 mph heater away that the Cubs veteran fouled off. Then came consecutive changeups -- one at 93 mph and the next 94.3 mph -- that Happ took for a ball and swung through for a strike, respectively. From there, Happ fouled off a 102.4 mph fastball and then nicked an 88.5 mph slider.

“He’s throwing an 88-mph slider. That’s a 15 mph difference. That’s crazy,” Happ said. “The changeup-split thing he’s throwing is 93-94. He threw a couple good ones in that at-bat. The velocity on the fastball makes the other stuff play up, for sure.”

Miller’s next pitch was the 103.2 mph fastball -- 14.7 mph faster than the previous pitch.

“I was trying to go up and I missed down,” Miller said.

Happ sent the pitch over left field, where it struck the video board just above the ivy-covered wall and ricocheted sharply into the basket.

“Happ’s at-bat was a great at-bat. That kid can really hit,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “You take a fastball, outer edge, over 100 mph, and hit it into the basket in left field -- that’s pretty impressive.”

Prior to that homer, the fastest pitch hit out in the Majors in the Statcast Era was a 102.9 mph Aroldis Chapman pitch that Josh Bell launched on Aug. 2 this year. The previous best for a Cubs batter was a 100.7 mph Ryan Helsley fastball that Happ also hit for a homer on May 26 this season.

Told of his achievement against the A’s, Happ smiled.

“At the time, that was not going through my head,” Happ quipped. “I knew he was throwing hard. I didn't know how hard it was. That's pretty cool.”