The 2022 MLB trade deadline is fast approaching and Willson Contreras and Ian Happ may have played their last home game with the Chicago Cubs.
After Tuesday’s 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, cameras caught Contreras and Happ sharing quite the emotional hug in Chicago’s dugout. Both players have spent their entire careers with the Cubs — Contreras was a rookie when Chicago won the World Series in 2016 and Happ joined the team the year after — and trade rumors suggest both are leaving the team by the August 2 deadline.
Not only that, Contreras was given a standing ovation from the Cubs faithful during the game to mark the coming inevitability.
So, yeah, it’s no wonder Tuesday’s game was a bittersweet moment for the pair with the trade deadline just days away. If you’re a Cubs fan, you might want to grab some tissues before you watch these videos.
Willson Contreras and Ian Happ embrace after today's Cubs win. pic.twitter.com/sR4L8KT2P1
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 26, 2022
Willson Contreras and Ian Happ shared a hug after the Cubs' final home game before the MLB trade deadline on August 2. pic.twitter.com/O05mu9Jqvj
— ESPN (@espn) July 26, 2022
Trade deadline season is never easy for teams with long-standing players, especially ones that have made such a big impact as Contreras and Happ have for the Cubs. It’s a shame it likely has to end this way in Chicago for these guys.