Ian Happ opens up after potential final home game at Wrigley Field

Ian Happ knows there may not be another regular-season game waiting for him at Wrigley Field in a Chicago Cubs uniform. The veteran outfielder is set to enter free agency after the 2026 MLB playoffs, making Thursday’s home finale against the Miami Marlins an emotional one.

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Before taking the field, Happ opened up to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers about the moment and what 10 seasons with the Cubs have meant to him.

“This is the last controllable day here. I’ll take it in. It’s crazy. 10 years of memories. There will be emotions. I want to savor it. There’s no fanbase more supportive of its players.”

That is quite a lot to process before worrying about a baseball game.

Ian Happ reflects on 10 years with the Cubs

Oct 11, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ (8) reacts after striking out against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning during game five of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Happ has spent his entire major league career with Chicago since the Cubs selected him in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He has since become a familiar presence in the outfield and one of the longest-tenured players from the organization’s previous era.

The 32-year-old switch-hitter entered Thursday with 24 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .221/.331/.418 slash line across 150 games this season, according to MLB’s current statistics.

His future, however, will not be decided until after the postseason. The Cubs have already secured a playoff berth and remain involved in a tight National League Wild Card race, giving Happ and his teammates something more important to focus on than free agency for now.

That makes this goodbye a little less final.

Happ could still return to Wrigley Field during October if Chicago advances far enough. The Cubs entered the final stretch of the season battling for playoff position alongside the Padres, with the margin between teams remaining narrow.

For now, though, Happ can simply appreciate what Thursday represented.

Ten seasons is a long time in baseball. It is even longer when you’ve spent all of them in the same uniform. Free agency may eventually take Happ somewhere new, but his connection with Wrigley Field and the Cubs is already firmly established.

And if this really was his final regular-season home game, at least he got the chance to savor it rather than sprinting out the door like someone who just remembered he left the oven on.

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