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Chicago Cubs: Team doesn’t need Jake Arrieta or Yu Darvish to win

By Adam H. McGinnis

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 18: Jake Arrieta
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 18: Jake Arrieta /
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CHICAGO, IL – JULY 12: Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning on July 12, 2015 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Players on the Chicago Cubs are wearing the number 14 to honor Ernie Banks. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – JULY 12: Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs pitches against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning on July 12, 2015 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Players on the Chicago Cubs are wearing the number 14 to honor Ernie Banks. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images) /

The hometown man

The Chicago Cubs are expected to make a pitch to get Jake Arrieta to re-sign. And Arrieta has, in the past, expressed interest in remaining with the team. But the Cubs won’t be alone in their pursuit to sign him. And the price will be steep.

There are reportedly five other teams that have expressed interest in the right-hander. One of those teams is the Milwaukee Brewers.

Arrieta had an up-and-down season in 2017. He finished the year at 14-10 with a 3.53 ERA. Those are fine numbers, to be sure. But let’s look at the big picture. Over the past three seasons, Arrieta’s ERA, WHIP and FIP have all gone up while his strikeout numbers and innings pitched have dipped.

He’ll be 32 in March, but he’s pitched less career innings than the average starter of a similar age. Arrieta has made it clear he’d like a long-term deal, but will not give the Cubs any sort of hometown discount.

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