Cubs Reaction: Former ace Jake Arrieta on his way to Philadelphia

Moving in a new direction

When the winter began, many Cubs fans did not expect Arrieta back. After Chicago signed Darvish, we knew the chances of a reunion were extremely slim. That being said, it should not be understated what Arrieta did for the Cubs. Simply put, he was an integral part of the teams’ rotation. It is also important to note how he can carry it to his next destination.

Jake Arrieta was an absolute monster for Chicago. After a trade with the Baltimore Orioles brought him to Wrigleyville, Arrieta found five very productive seasons the North Side. His 2015 season was his best to-date, finishing 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA. He finished first in the NL Cy Young voting too.

Over the past three seasons, Arrieta was a treasured part of the Cubs rotation. Since 2015, he started at least thirty games per season, and in those years pitched to an amazingly low 2.71 ERA. Arrieta has also posted a total of 13.5 Wins Above Replacement in that span. Arrieta also helped the Cubs to their first World Series championship in over a century.

In 2017, Arrieta experienced regression. However, he still managed to start 30 games and finished with a 3.53 ERA and 2.4 WAR. For his career as a Cub, Arrieta finished with a sparkling 2.73 ERA.