After a disastrous 2021 that saw his reunion with the Cubs end with his August release followed by an even worse stint with the Padres, Jake Arrieta called it a career earlier this week. Arrieta, 36, debuted with the Orioles in 2010. He was acquired by the Cubs in July of 2013, in what turned out to be one of the best trades in team history, in a trade for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger. He left the Cubs as a free agent after the 2017 season and signed with the Phillies on a 4-year deal.
After being acquired by the Cubs, Arrieta was sent to Triple A, where he made seven starts for Iowa before being recalled to the rebuilding big league club, showing vast improvement over the pitcher he was with the Orioles. He turned into an ace for the Cubs in 2015, winning the NL Cy Young Award, and was a key contributor to their World Series championship in 2016. He threw two no-hitters for the team, one in 2015 against the Dodgers and the second in 2016 against the Reds. Injuries after the 2017 season left him a shell of his former self, but the Cubs rolled the dice for 2021, hoping for a miracle. Instead, they got a rude awakening, as Arrieta set the team record for highest ERA for a pitcher in a season with at least 20 starts. He followed up his last game, where he gave up 8 hits and 7 runs in the first inning, with a post-game tirade where he berated a reporter for wearing a mask, which he was required to do by city regulation, during a Zoom press conference.
For a brief period of time during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Jake Arrieta was the best pitcher in baseball. He was a key contributor to the 2016 World Series championship, earning him a place in Cubs lore for years to come. His horrid performance in 2021, both on the field and as a functioning member of society, did little to hurt that standing. I’m sure later this year or next year, there will be a Jake Arrieta Day at Wrigley Field, where he will rightly be feted as he throws out a first pitch and sings during the 7th inning stretch.
