Cubs' Happ out of lineup again Sunday with oblique discomfort

NEW YORK (AP) — Ian Happ was out of the lineup for the second straight day with oblique discomfort, but Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Sunday that the left fielder is feeling better.

Happ tweaked his oblique on a swing in the first inning of Friday’s 7-2 loss to the New York Mets when he struck out against Clay Holmes. He stayed in the game and went 0 for 3 with a walk, then was out of the lineup for Saturday’s 6-5 win.

Happ took swings and threw in the outfield Sunday. Counsell said the Cubs are not considering putting him on the injured list.

“He’s doing good,” Counsell said before the Cubs concluded a three-game series against the Mets. “Yesterday we didn’t do any activity. Essentially today we’re going to run around. He’s going to hit. We’ll just see how that goes, but if he’s hitting today, that’s a good sign and we’ll just kind of evaluate what the day produces.”

Happ is hitting .269 with three homers and 19 RBIs this season. He had not missed a game until Saturday and batted leadoff in each game after hitting out of the leadoff spot for most of the second half last season.

Pete Crow-Armstrong batted leadoff for the second straight day and Seiya Suzuki made his second consecutive start in left field.

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