Defensive metrics supported Ian Happ’s Gold Glove case — but he doesn’t have to like them

Cubs left fielder Ian Happ dives to cut Louis Cardinals’ Juan Yepez’s fly ball to a single during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, June 24, 2022, in St. Louis. Happ threw out Yepez at second on the play. (AP Photos)

Cubs left fielder Ian Happ took note when he and the Padres’ Jurickson Profar were “neck-in-neck” in defensive runs saved. Then, with Happ’s highlight-filled play late in the season, he ran away with the lead among National League left fielders.

“We were really locked into it, starting in a couple weeks into the season,” Happ said in his Gold Glove press conference over Zoom on Tuesday, “just with our outfield model, and then our outfield positioning and how those things matched up.”