NEW YORK – Ian Happ was not in the lineup for the second straight day due to oblique discomfort, but Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell reported on Sunday that the left fielder is feeling better.
Happ felt the discomfort in his oblique while taking a swing in the first inning of Friday’s 7-2 loss to the New York Mets, when he struck out against Clay Holmes. He remained in the game and went 0-for-3 with a walk, then was not in the lineup for Saturday’s 6-5 victory.
Happ took swings and threw in the outfield on Sunday. Counsell indicated that the Cubs are not considering putting him on the injured list.
“It’s fine,” Counsell said before the Cubs concluded a three-game series against the Mets. “We didn’t do any activity yesterday. Essentially today we’re going to run around. He’s going to hit. We’ll see how it goes, but if he hits today, that’s a good sign and we’ll just evaluate what the day produces.”
Craig Counsell
Happ is batting .269 with three home runs and 19 RBIs this season. He hadn’t missed a game until Saturday and batted first in every game after doing so in the leadoff spot for most of the second half of last season.
Pete Crow-Armstrong batted first for the second consecutive day, and Seiya Suzuki made his second consecutive start in left field.
