Chicago Cubs should get Jake Arrieta’s long-term deal done ASAP

There’s plenty of talk going around involving both the Chicago Cubs and free agent A.L. Cy Young runner-up David Price. After rounding out the year with one of the best records in all of baseball and taking care of business against the Pirates and Cardinals, the Cubs emerged as the destination of choice for some free agents.

Being able to decide between Price, Zack Greinke and Jordan Zimmermann is nice, but I’m sure most Cubs fans would feel comfortable knowing that this club’s ace is under contract for at least six more years.

So, with that being said, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer need to try to get something done as soon as possible. Having to deal with Arrieta’s agent, Scott Boras, won’t be the easiest thing to do unless 29-year-old looks for someone else to represent him.

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The chances of him doing so are slim, considering all the money that Boras has managed to reel in for some of his best clients. Not only has Jake bagged himself his first N.L. Cy Young award earlier this week, but he’s continued to win during MLB’s Esurance Awards show as well.

According to Yahoo Sports, Jake Arrieta was named the Best Starting Pitcher, and Best Breakout Player of 2015. Winning these awards is huge for someone who is on the verge of landing himself a big contract.

Now we’re all aware that Chicago is looking to add several starting pitcher’s over the winter and the first could possibly be former starter and reliever, Jeff Samardzija. Samardzija and Epstein had a private meeting the other night, which may be a sign of what’s to come.

Still, Samardzija will likely end up as Joe Maddon‘s fourth starter, leaving the final spot of the starting rotation up to either Kyle Hendricks, Tsuyoshi Wada, or Jason Hammel. That is if they manage to land either Price, Greinke, or Zimmermann.

Signing Arrieta to a long-term deal would help them out in the long-run by not having to go out and find themselves another arm to help them reach the next level either next year or the year after.

Sure, he struggled after his N.L. Wild Card performance, but other pitcher’s like Price, Greinke, and Kershaw struggled as well. It’s not always going to be like that.