Perhaps he does not currently stand out as the left fielder with the highest fWAR or the most sought-after on the market, since Randy Arozarena, with 5.5 fWAR, leads the Top of free agents, including pitchers. However, Ian Happ could bounce back offensively and become a much more valuable piece. The main reason to support that possibility is that his defense remains elite, and Happ has once again been among the finalists for his fifth consecutive Gold Glove in left field.

Happ, 32, finished his tenth season with the Chicago Cubs with +6 Fielding Runs Value in 1,244 innings in left field, showing off his range and, above all, the great cannon of an arm he possesses to prevent runners from reaching extra bases. The Jays, in particular, have had problems with consistency among their left fielders. Over the last three seasons, the only one to surpass 500 innings in a single campaign has been Davis Schneider, who recorded 635 innings and 3 FRV in 2024.

Why could Happ be the best gamble for Toronto?

Well, let’s start by remembering everything the Jays could improve if they make the right moves in their search for a left fielder, a center fielder, and perhaps a second baseman who would make the infield more competitive. Assuming Addison Barger would be back to handle right field and that Anthony Santander will finally play his first full season as the projected designated hitter, Toronto’s level could take a big leap in quality.

Viewed this way, Happ would fit perfectly into this lineup, especially because of his switch-hitting profile. He would be one of the hitters responsible for strengthening the left side of these hypothetical Jays. That said, Happ needs to solve his problems against right-handed pitchers, since in 2026 he suffered the worst drop of his career, finishing with just 36 wRC+ and a .484 OPS. Even so, he remains a destroyer of fastballs: he finished the season producing 14 of his 24 home runs against those pitches, with a .433 slugging percentage.

Over the last two campaigns, 28 of the 47 home runs Happ has hit came against fastballs. However, in 2026, he once again fell victim to off-speed pitches, closing the year with a .202 xBA and a 35.7% whiff rate. Although Happ hit .271 against breaking balls, his whiff rate also exceeded 35%, finishing at 35.5%.

What separated Happ from Arozarena was his offensive decline and his impact on baserunning, since Arozarena finished in the 98th percentile in Batting and the 89th in Baserunning in 2026. However, Happ still retains much of the approach that led him to be one of the most important pieces in the Cubs’ successes during this past decade: his ability to hit the ball hard —he finished in the 73rd percentile in Barrel%— and his plate discipline, with which he finished in the 89th percentile in BB% and the 85th in Chase%.