Cubs takeaways: Ian Happ finds power, Shota Imanaga nears return, Matt Shaw shows off arm

New York Times

a day ago

PHILADELPHIA — Less than a week ago, Ian Happ had an ISO of .098. There was little power, and as a whole, he'd just been slightly above average on offense. But with four home runs in the last six games — three in the last two, including a pair in Tuesday night's 8-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies — Happ seems to have found his power stroke.
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'I think we knew this was coming,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'I think everybody had a lot of faith this was coming, and it's fun to see.'
Happ hit a score-tying homer Monday night in the Chicago Cubs' 11-inning, 4-3 loss to the Phillies. He then tied the score up at 2 in the third Tuesday and hit a two-run shot in the sixth to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead they would never relinquish.
With seven home runs on the year, Happ has more than doubled his season total over the last week. He's pushed his ISO up to .142 and looks like he's about to enter one of his patented hot streaks.
How does Happ know when he's on the verge of finding his slug?
'The way I feel on fastballs,' Happ said. 'Not always the result, but the swings I'm taking. Then just the plate discipline. The takes, staying in the strike zone. That's something I do a really good job of left-handed when I'm good. If I can get to that place where I'm only firing at pitches I'm looking for, I'll be in a good spot. And that was tonight.'
The Cubs offense had looked pedestrian as of late, but that was largely because it was facing imposing starting pitchers. On this trip, it's seen MacKenzie Gore, Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Zack Wheeler, the type of arms that will be found in Atlanta in July for the All-Star Game. But Tuesday's looked more like the group that's second in baseball with 374 runs scored.
'This is what makes a good team, this is what makes a good offense,' Counsell said. 'Ian can be not clicking, and then he gets clicking, and it wins you a game. It's why I think we're a good offense and why I think we're going to be a consistent offense.'
The Cubs are close to getting their ace back. Shota Imanaga tossed two innings in a rehab start at the Arizona Complex League on Monday night. The lefty struck out four and allowed just one hit while tossing around 25 pitches. The team wanted him to get to 40 on the evening, so he immediately threw another 15 in a bullpen after his outing.
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The expectation is that Imanaga will pitch again in the ACL on Saturday, then make at least one more rehab start, likely with Triple-A Iowa, before the organization re-evaluates next steps.
Imanaga last pitched for the Cubs on May 4 at the Milwaukee Brewers when he injured his left hamstring. The Cubs have managed to extend their division lead during his absence, going 20-12 and building a five-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central.
But as admirable as performances by rookie Cade Horton, youngster Ben Brown and veteran Colin Rea have been over the last month-plus, adding Imanaga back to the rotation would be a huge boost. Rea and Brown have had stretches of brilliance, but during Imanaga's absence, both have ERAs over 5.00.
In eight starts, Imanaga had a 2.82 ERA and seemed to be building off his strong rookie season. Even with his return, adding starting pitching will be the Cubs' No. 1 priority at the trade deadline.
Entering the season, there were questions as to whether Matt Shaw could handle third base defensively. A shortstop in college at the University of Maryland, Shaw started getting the majority of his innings at third base last season while he continued to get time at second and short.
There was progress, but still, people wondered whether he could handle the hot corner long-term. Those questions have all but been eliminated.
'It's been a work in progress for a long time,' Shaw said. 'When I got sent back down to Iowa, I really played amazing defense down there and took that momentum back with me up here. I'm feeling more confident about that just as time has gone. It's kind of good that it's not a conversation. I want to prove that I can play defense at third, and I'm starting to feel like I can be a great defender at third.'
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Monday night, Shaw made multiple brilliant plays, including a 5-3 double play in the 10th and another strong snag on an in-between hop to end that frame. Then Tuesday night, Shaw charged a high-hopper, bare-handed the ball and fired to first to beat a speedy Johan Rojas for the second out in the ninth.
Hold the phone, he's got a CANNON 🚀 pic.twitter.com/VUAJoDdVFy
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) June 11, 2025
'That bare hand was special,' Happ said. 'That was jaw on the floor. That's a play where you can take a chance because nothing's going to beat you if you don't make that play. But to do it successfully and show off the arm strength was really cool.'
There have also been numerous times Shaw has ranged to his right and made a strong throw to get a runner at first. This after there were scouts who wondered whether Shaw had the arm to handle third base.
Were those concerns overblown?
'Oh, 100 percent,' Shaw said. 'It was one of those things where I'm not going to argue with mass media about whether my arm strength can play at third or not. Hopefully, time will tell for itself whether I can play there or not. I think it has.'
(Photo of Ian Happ: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)