The Chicago Cubs' thrilling 2026 season came to an end late on Wednesday night as the San Diego Padres swept them in the National League wild-card series. With the Cubs' elimination, outfielder Ian Happ could've played his last game as a Cub on Wednesday. Happ, who has spent his entire 10 seasons in the league with the Cubs, is set to be a free agent for the first time in his career this offseason.
Happ was understandably emotional after the Cubs' loss for various reasons, one for mourning the goals the team had this postseason, and two for mourning the potential end of his time in Chicago. I've never had to go through the free agent thing," Happ said. "I've never had to do that.
It is certainly a challenging part of this game. When you're in a place for 10 years, and you love it, and it's special, and it means something to you, it's a beautiful thing, but it makes it challenging. It's been an incredible place for me.
It's given me so many moments and memories." Dansby Swanson, Happ's teammate of four seasons, was visibly emotional in the locker room when asked what the outfielder has meant to Chicago and to him as a friend. I think he truly embodies what it means to wear the jersey, and I know he would probably never say that himself. The kind of tradition and legacy that he's carried on from that '16 team, just the lessons that he has learned and he's taught me a lot about.
He's my longest friend that I've had here. That probably speaks enough for itself. He embodies the Cubs more than anyone I know.
He is a big reason why I'm here, and I'm very thankful for him." You can tell just by watching that clip of Swanson getting choked up how much Happ means to the Cubs organization. If this truly is the end of Happ's time as a Cub, what a journey it was. He started on the team in 2017, the season after the 2016 World Series championship.
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