Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - Ian Happ was the hero the Cubs needed to break their 10-game losing streak

Episode Date: May 28, 2026

Leila Rahimi and Mark Grote discussed how Cubs left fielder Ian Happ stepped up big to help the club snap its 10-game losing streak with a 10-4 win against the Pirates on Wednesday.

Rahimi Harris and Grotie. Really, really love listening to guys. You do a phenomenal job. Midday's 10 to 2 on 104 3, the score. Down the right field line. Baldess, towards the corner. Three-run Jack. 11th of the year.

He's driven in five. It's seven to four Cubs. Take that. That is Alex Cohen on the call, courtesy of Marquis Sports Network. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie. The streak has ended. You may go in peace. Thanks be to God.

Baseball gods, baby Jesus, Oprah, whoever else, pizza. The Pope. Anybody you want to include in this? I don't know. I think the Pope is on the Sox side. The Pope was responsible for David Sandlin yesterday. You're right.

The Pope might have been taking joy in what the Cubs were doing, like the White Sox broadcasters were doing, like John Shiffin and Steve Stone. They seem to enjoy the Cubs 10-game losing, as they should. And for our 7-7-2 texter, the Sox had a pitcher that gave up one hit. How about a one minute discussion on them? I said it was at 1045. I maintain it is at 1045.

We can't wait to talk about David Sandler. And that's not the only time we'll talk socks in the show. Hope that's okay with you. Wait, it's four hours show, right? Yeah. No, it's not. Apparently it's just 10 seconds over and over and over again. There's not enough time. There was a skull thumping last night on the south side. We will get to that. I promise you. There were skull thumpins everywhere by Chicago teams and that's my problem. Hello, everybody. Save it for later. But there's, you know, we talked about this ad nauseum back in the day, Mark Roady, the concept of you go, we go. Dexter Fowler, anyone? Yes, the leadoff batter, who also was a part of the lovable reunion podcast. I saw a piece of the Justin Grimm Mike Montgomery won last night, but I didn't get to see it all.

That's so funny. I was out last night for my niece's celebration of A. He's just out here, man. He's in the street. I've had a gauntlet of weeknight fund this week. I must say. But yeah, that was. on last night, but no sound. I saw, I saw Grimmer up there and Ross. It's so good. Highly recommended.

Justin Grimm's Southern accent has gotten real intense. Oh, has it? I don't know that it was as as as Southern. I think he's a Tennessee guy. I think he's a Tennessee dude. And I don't know that he was as strong when he was here. Yeah. And now I'm just like, yo. He was my first ever Cubs conversation when I was doing the pregame show because I hit it off with Justin Grimm right away. It's going to shock everybody. No, he's a talkable dude. He's very silly. Does that surprise you that I somehow find myself going towards his locker? I couldn't understand the pull. Oh, you're ridiculous too, just like me.

Let's have you on the pregame show. That must have been a match made in heaven. It really was. For some reason, we'd run in each other when we were out. I'd see him in the workout rooms on the road. So, yes, Justin Grimm, friend of the program. He is. Yeah, I think there was a time where he laughed because I had a shoe fall apart in the Cubs

clubhouse, like a sandal detached from the heel. Oh, okay. And then I was like, shut up, Justin. And I was like, I got these from Target. He's like, my wife loves Target. And I was like, your wife is smart. I'm like, I know you guys have super glue in here somewhere. And they're like, Blah.

No, if there's one thing I know, there's super glue in a baseball clubhouse. You got to sew up those blisters, man. Honestly, that is, that is part of what they do. I know. Handbrakes open. It's either that or the Moisesilloo treatment. A number one, a urination. Oh, how did I not know about that?

Yeah, that happened. I didn't know that either. Oh, kids. Oh, kids, gather around. Gather around. No, no kids. Don't come around for this one. Is this like the lie about,

don't pee on jellyfish stings, by the way. That has been debunked many times by doctors. Why did Mitch just come running in here? Is this something I said, Mitch? Dump it. The number one, he called it. That's more offensive, actually. Right, I tried to say,

that's like the Marshall Harris way. Like, somehow it became more offensive by me saying, Moises Lude did a number one on his hands. No, don't. Oh, boy. Did it work? What makes you score more? Daddy?

Oh, God. Or number one. Or just Chris Ronji. Ronji? Yeah, Ronji's the answer. Then Daddy. Then the combination is definitely number one. Oh, her daddy?

No. No, Pat. Oh, God, the terrible seventh inning stretch. All right, Daddy, gang. Oh, yes. She sang to the camera and didn't. The fail was not in the choreography or the singing. It was that she sang to the camera instead of the crowd.

because the cameras in the crowd would have caught her. And then that she broke character. If she hadn't broke character, then I think it would have worked. Poor Pat Hughes in the background, just awkwardly sitting there. Having to see that in front. I don't understand any of this. God bless Pat. And you know what?

I'm glad we blew up his birthday yesterday and set it to the masses because he deserves credit for breaking this. What's BFF? We don't say those things around here. Best friends forever. I swear, Pat, I'm not dropping F bombs on the radio. I swear. That is one of my favorites.

Oh, so good. So getting back to all the memories, which we are happy to do, is the one of Ugo-wego. And I used to think that that was strictly referring to Dexter Fowler, strictly referring to the Cubs leadoff batter. But perhaps Ian Hap is a part of this. Ian Hap responsible for five of the Cubs, 10 RBI's total yesterday. So half the score, which is an incredible feat in and of itself. In the prior 16 games, Hap had a 125 average, a 269 on base percentage. percentage, a 50% strikeout rate.

And that's the thing that I think a lot of our listeners found the most egregious was 50% strikeout rate when 25 used to be embarrassing for the league and now it's about league average. And then only four RBIs. So given that information, you see Ian Hap extend his 40 game on base streak in Pittsburgh. That is the latest number. And then as you mentioned, Mark, he goes off as the number five hitter in this order. He had six at bats, which is always an excellent sign.

He had two hits. He had five RBIs, and he had that run scored. And he just had really timely hitting, the home run, his 11th of the season. And then also being able to have a good seeing-eye single for a hit that scored runs. When he went, so did the Cubs in this. And he talked to Elise Meneker after the game on Marquis. Ian, back in the win column. How does it feel?

Feels good. That was a really good game all around. You know, JMO kept us in that thing. Just got beat on a couple pitches. He was really good besides that. And offense all the way around, guys on base, opportunities. Cash him in today. Big part of that offense today, you knock in five.

So what are you thinking off the bat with that home run and then the feeling is you get to be greeted by our teammates? Stay fair, stay fair, stay fair. Yeah, just a big moment for us to have a little bit of breathing room. And then what we're able to do after that, just add on. And Fordow's big swing there. Gives a little bit of breathing room for the bullpen and just all the way around. Great day.

Describe the feeling after your home run and just knowing, you know, you can show this with the guy. Yeah. No, I mean, being back in the dugout with those guys, just, you know, the energy, I think it's been heavy. And so to have a little bit of levity and, you know, be able to celebrate together. It felt good. Go celebrate. Thanks. Thank you.

They sounded like they needed that win. Did they not? I love it. Like, because he admitted that it's been heavy around here. When I was doing inside the clubhouse at Wrigley with Bruce on Saturday, we played the James and Tye on saying that baseball has been really hard lately. And they were able to finally snap. It's so good to hear Ian Hap sounding exuberant because we know that he's such a calm,

even keel guy, same guy no matter what. But you know what? In a case like that, you don't need the same guy. They should be celebrating that win. And as countless Cubs have said, no matter how. how hard this is for fans and I guess for broadcasters as well, if anybody cares, it's been 10 times worse for the players that have been dealing this. And by the way, the Conforto Homer, that's a no funny stuff home run.

That was the- Every bit, Centerfield, Center cut, he hit every bit of that ball. He hit it all, but it's also gave you a 9-4 lead. So just in case Cubs fans thought, like, okay, they're going to give up another Shrewan homer and something horrible is going to happen. That put it to rest right there if the Ian Hap home run hadn't done it for you. already. Well, and frankly, you had to do this because as we mentioned, there were two home runs hit by the other team. We understand who James and Tyone is right now. He talked about how he wasn't

hitting as well when it came hitting, like metaphorically speaking, not literally, on the other side when it came to strikes. You know, first pitch strike was in his bread and butter. And people have been looking for the fastball and then Lau is a notably very effective fastball hitter and we see what happens. So if that fastball isn't dotted perfectly or you don't get the just a right amount of ELO. People are hunting for it. Right. And you could, I'm sorry.

You could feel it coming too with Tyon because he was giving up hard content. He had Sayo Suzuki banging into walls early in the game. It was like, oh, boy, this doesn't feel good and it wasn't a solo shot this time. But at the same time, you know what you're doing there. You know what you're getting out of him. So hit your way out of it because that's what this lineup is paid to do. I'm not saying it works every time. Clearly, we know that.

But you'd better be able to do something. And it reminded me to when we talked to Ian Hap about hitting approach and understanding who you are as a hitter, understanding what your approach is when it comes to getting the pitch you want to hit and where you think it's going to go when you hit it. He talked about that with us on Tuesday. Let's rewind and listen back. I think when you're going through it,

the hardest thing to do is to stay focused on your process and the process. The easy thing to do is chase the mechanics and be like, well, I stink. so I have to change something and I'm not hitting this or doing this get really focused on that really obsessed with the fact that you're not doing something

and then change something mechanically to try to plug the hole or fix the problem and that gets to be a really slippery slope and then you're just searching day after day for a new thing because you take that into the game doesn't work take that in the game doesn't work and you've completely lost sight

of process, focus, what you're trying to do, what the pitch is trying to do. And so I think the biggest challenge is to, all right, I think that the best pitch for me to hit against this guy tonight is a fast fall. So I want to be completely and totally committed to the fastball in this location, this window, whether it's inner third, outer third, whatever. I want to be totally committed to that pitch. and the more that you can do that and have that process of just totally committing to seeing the ball in your approach, I think that that's how you get out of it, but the opposite is true.

And you chase the mechanics all the time gets really hard. I feel like that was so notable given this team's dearth of offense during the losing streak. It was and like don't go crazy trying to make adjustments and maybe the days off were, just what some of these players needed. Maybe it was just what Ian Hap needed. Is it crazy for me to think about Ian Hap's future and think that the pirates will make a serious play for Ian Hap in free agency? Because they were talking about it this morning about Ian Hap

and what becomes of him if he's not here after this year. And you could certainly see a case where Ian Hap is no longer with the Cubs next year. I just wonder, with his pirates being aggressive and signing players and acting like a big boy franchise, will Ian Happy on their list? Well, considering they were in the group of offering Pete Alonso, and didn't they also make a push for Kyle Schwerber, as I recall? They supposedly made a push for Kyle Schwerber.

Which is more than you guys did, Cubs. That bugs you, just a little bit, just a little bit. During that losing streak, there was one player who made it all make sense if you put it together. One reliable slug. And, yeah, it's going to bother me for a while. Do you get mad at Kyle Tucker-Sitch? No, because...

Like that they never had a chance to bring him back here and that he had no desire to be back here? No, my concern was in replacing the offense. And just Moises-Biasteros and Alex Bergman was not enough for me to say you're replacing the offense. Yeah. I felt that way about Cody Bellinger. I think you needed Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker.

But they don't have, and Bruce brought this up on Saturday, Cubs do not have a superstar. They do not have one of those guys that when you are in these situations, 10 game losing streaks that can carry you out of it like Kyle Tucker did last year in the first half of the season. When you don't know who's far in a way, your cleanup hitter, that's when I think that's how I feel about it. And it's an expensive way to build a team. I'm not saying I'm thrifty. But that's how you win ball games. And that's how you stop what we just saw happen.

And also on the other side, pitching wise, you are supposed to have stoppers, but the two guys you thought were going to be your stoppers are both injured. And the update on Justin Steele wasn't strong. This is Rahimi Harrison Grotie on 1043. The score. One guy who I know is bopping is Munei Murakami. And is it possible based on what we saw out of an incredible debut? Do the Sox have another potential stop around the mound? He certainly made short work of the Twins yesterday.

We'll get into it next.