Happ wins third straight NL Gold Glove in LF

CHICAGO -- Once Ian Happ became a fixture in left field for the Cubs, the outfielder wanted to do all he could to master the position. That is an especially daunting task at Wrigley Field, where foul territory disappears up the line and ivy serves as the only cushion from the ballpark’s famous brick wall.

Over the past few years, Happ has turned left field into his domain at the Friendly Confines, as evidenced by the third consecutive National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award he took home on Sunday night. His latest defensive hardware makes Happ the only outfielder in Cubs history to have three Gold Gloves on his career resume.

• All-time winners

“It’s pretty special,” Happ said on Sunday night. “Any time in this organization, one that’s been around for so long, when you get your name mentioned like that -- the first to do something -- it’s always pretty cool. It’s a lot of hard work. And being able to do it three straight times is a really special accomplishment. This award means a lot.”

Prior to Happ, right fielders Jason Heyward (2016-17) and Hall of Famer Andre Dawson (1987-88) were the only Cubs outfielders to win the trophy in back-to-back years. Bob Dernier also won a Gold Glove for the Cubs for his work in center field during the 1984 season.

Since the Gold Gloves for outfielders became position specific in 2011, Happ is the only left fielder to win the award in three consecutive seasons in the NL. Only Alex Gordon has achieved the feat in the American League, doing so with a pair of four-year streaks (2011-14 and ‘17-20) for Kansas City.

• Most Gold Glove Awards at each position

Happ -- a finalist for this year’s NL Gold Glove in left field alongside Lourdes Gurriel Jr. of the D-backs and Brandon Marsh of the Phillies -- led all Major League left fielders with 11 assists this past season. Only Boston’s Jarren Duran had more overall, racking up a dozen between his work in center and left field. Happ also paced NL left fielders in defensive runs saved (eight).

In '24, Happ led all MLB left fielders with 1,248 1/3 innings at the position, starting a pair of double plays and committing only one error. There are six players who have logged at least 2,700 innings in left over the last three seasons combined, and Happ is the lone outfielder in that group with zero throwing errors to his name.

“The throwing was really good the last two years,” Happ said. “And so maintaining that, and having that be consistent, was great. And [I was proud of] kind of bouncing back from last year to having a better year tracking down the baseball and being able to catch some balls.”

Prior to Happ’s three-year run as a Gold Glover in left for the North Siders, he bounced around a number of infield and outfield positions in his first five seasons in the Majors. He served as the Cubs’ primary center fielder during the 2020 campaign before beginning a transition to left on a more consistent basis the following year.

In particular, Happ has shown a knack for getting off quick and precise throws as he has honed his skills at the position.

Dating back to ‘22, Happ has led the Majors with 31 assists from left field. For perspective, Steven Kwan (26) and Gurriel (19) are next on that list, and only Lane Thomas (33) has more assists from the outfield (all positions). Happ’s 23 assists over the past two years combined also lead MLB left fielders (Kwan ranks second with 19 for Cleveland).

“The Cubs’ pinch-me moments are pretty cool,” Happ said. “It’s an amazing group and it’s amazing history. To be a small part of it, it means a lot to me. That’s why I love this place and have been so lucky to just finish eight years here and go into the ninth. The history of this organization, the fan base, that’s what makes it so fun to come to work every day.”