To begin the season, Ian Happ ($4,200; 30 FPTS) batted leadoff in 15 of the first 18 games. The slash was decent at .247/.353/.370 while the walk rate was 14.1% and the strikeout rate was 20%, but the ISO was only .123, resulting in one home run in 85 plate appearances. Happ was then moved down in the order, batting third, fifth, sixth and seventh for a few games. He eventually settled into the cleanup role.
On Wednesday, he returned to his old stomping grounds, batting leadoff once again, and produce he did, said Yoda. Happ went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, a walk, two RBI and three runs scored, leading the Cubs to the 13-4 drubbing of the Reds.
Seiya Suzuki ($4,800; 18 FPTS) had two doubles and three RBI while Cody Bellinger ($5,500; 17 FPTS) had three hits, two RBI and scored twice. Nico Hoerner ($4,100; 19 FPTS) had a single, a double, a RBI, scored twice and stole a base. Pete Crow-Armstrong ($3,000; 19 FPTS) also had a single, a double and a stolen base, but he drove in two while scoring once.
For the Reds, Jake Fraley ($3,500; 20 FPTS) hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning.
Nick Lodolo ($9,200; 1.55 FPTS) got rocked for eight earned runs on 11 hits in 5.2 innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out six.
