Chicago Cubs Rumors: Team’s top free agent target should be Jake Arrieta

Right-hander Jake Arrieta will hit the open market this winter as a free agent. And, if the Chicago Cubs want to do themselves a favor, they need to make bringing him back a top priority.

If you frequent our site, you’ll know that I’ve gone back and forth on this matter for some time. Suffice to say, in June, bringing back Jake Arrieta ranked very low on my priority list. But, given his resurgence, the Chicago Cubs must do so this winter.

Just as quickly as Cubs fans chalked him up as a loss, he once again proved doubters wrong. On May 14, his earned run average spiked at 5.44. Since then, he’s shaved nearly two full runs off that mark, showing just how dominant he’s capable of being.

I still doubt a $200 million contract is in the cards, but Arrieta deserves a payday. And, if one takes a look at the list of pitchers set to hit the open market, well, suffice to say there’s not a lot that inspires confidence.

The Chicago Cubs know what they have in Jake Arrieta. A workhorse with relatively few innings on his arm (at least compared to others his age) who, above all else, desires to win championships.

Chicago Cubs Rumors: Arrieta proving his mettle of-late

Since the aforementioned May 14 low-point, Arrieta failed to pitch at least six innings just five times – and two of those were 5 2/3 inning efforts. After the calendar flipped to July, he has not allowed more than three earned runs in a start.

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To be blunt, he’s been good.

In the month of July, Arrieta posted a 2.25 ERA in five starts. Entering play on Tuesday, the right-hander performed even better, with a 1.44 earned run average in five August outings. In mid-May, he was a fringe candidate for the postseason starting rotation. Now, he’s a lock.

Jon Lester is working his way back from injury. Jose Quintana hasn’t been what many expected. Kyle Hendricks and Mike Montgomery are probably the two strongest starting pitchers in the rotation right now, along with Arrieta.

Now, he won’t go winning any Cy Young Awards this time around, but he may be even more important to the Cubs in 2017 than two years ago.

Chicago Cubs Rumors: Quality is hard to find

The list of impending free agents is a mixed bag, to put it mildly.

You have names like Yu Darvish, Lance Lynn, Derek Holland. Recognizable to pretty much every common baseball fan. But you have the flip side – names that are recognizable, but for the wrong reasons.

Brett Anderson. John Lackey (who’s nearing 40). C.C. Sabathia. Bartolo Colon.

Suffice to say, those aren’t names you’re willing to stake your postseason hopes on. Arrieta, however, is the opposite. There are other options in the upcoming free agent class. But, to be short, I think Arrieta represents the Cubs’ best shot at long-term success.

Related Story: Breaking down Jake Arrieta's early-season ineffectiveness

Arrieta doesn’t turn 32 till next spring. He pitched more than 200 innings just one time in his big-league career. A low workload and a history of consistent performance on the North Side? Seems like a sure-fire solution to the Cubs’ pitching problem