Cubs activate Happ, designate Vargas
The Chicago Cubs today activated outfielder Ian Happ off the 10-day injured list and designated infielder Ildemaro Vargas for assignment.
Happ, 26, landed on the 10-day injured list, May 7 (retroactive to May 4), with a left rib contusion following a collision in the field with Nico Hoerner, May 2, in Cincinnati. In 26 games this season, Happ is batting .167 (14-for-84) with a double, two home runs and four RBI, making 18 starts in center field and four starts in left field.
The switch-hitting Happ last season batted .258 (51-for-198) with 11 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 28 RBI and 30 walks in 57 games for the Cubs. In 2019, Happ produced a career-high .898 OPS in 58 games for Chicago after he opened the season at Triple-A Iowa.
Chicago’s first round selection (ninth overall) in the 2015 draft out of the University of Cincinnati, Happ owns a .242 career average (284-for-1,173) with 55 doubles, seven triples, 64 home runs and 174 RBI in 398 games since making his major league debut with the Cubs in 2017. His 169 walks have contributed to an .806 career OPS.
Vargas, 29, is hitting .143 (3-for-21) with two doubles and two RBI in nine games for Chicago this season. Since he was claimed off waivers from Minnesota on September 5 of last season, Vargas has appeared in 15 games for the Cubs, batting .167 (5-for-30) with two doubles, one home run and three RBI.