MLB: The Five Most Unsung Players in the American League

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Jul 17, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher J.A. Happ (33) pitches the ball against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

The Toronto Blue Jays have surged to take the outright lead in a highly-competitive AL East, and a 33-year old journeyman pitcher is a big reason why. Happ has spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues with five different teams, and is suddenly blowing away his career averages.

For his career, Happ owns a 3.99 earned run average, an ERA+ of 101, and a 4.14 FIP. In 2016, though, the left-hander is looking like one of the steals of last offseason’s free agent market, posting a 2.96 ERA, a 143 ERA+, and a 3.75 FIP while leading the AL in wins.

Going back to his midseason trade from the Seattle Mariners to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015, Happ has been among the most consistently successful pitchers in all of baseball. In the second half last season, he put up a 1.85 ERA, an astounding 209 ERA+, and an FIP of 2.19, suggesting that this year’s success is not a fluke, but a matter of a veteran putting it all together.

In a rotation that also includes unsung guys like Aaron Sanchez and Marco Estrada, Happ’s performance stands out, and could help propel the Jays to a second straight trip to the playoffs.

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