CHICAGO – Former Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta is happy to be back in the city where he had his greatest success, saying on Saturday that the Chicago Cubs are “where he wanted to be”.
Arrieta, 34, signed a one-year $ 6 million deal with the team he helped win the World Series title and will now be managed by his former wide receiver, David Ross.
“Playing for a manager who caught one of my no-hitters is great,” Arrieta said in a video interview with reporters on Saturday. “This is where I wanted to be. It feels good here the last few days.”
Arrieta previously pitched for the Cubs from 2013 to 2017 and won the Cy Young Award in 2015, the wildcard game that same season and a World Series ring the following year. Along the way, he threw two no-hitters, elevating his game to one of the best in baseball.
But after signing a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018, his production and health went downhill. His ERA rose from 3.96 in 2018 to 4.64 in 2019, then to 5.08 in 2020. He treated a meniscal and bone spur problem in Philadelphia, but said he is now healthy.
“There are always things to prove,” said Arrieta. “It’s not that it’s in a negative way. Actually it’s just to show that I am capable of performing at a high level. The level at which I hope to perform. The past three years have not expectations met. “
The Cubs hoped to unlock the same things they did when Arrieta came out of Baltimore in 2013 as a regular pitcher in a midseason trade. Some faces in the organization have changed, but many remain, which gives Arrieta a level of comfort upon his return.
“I never want it to seem like I can’t perform well in (fill in the blank city), but is it a little different here in Chicago?” Said Arrieta. ‘Of course. Just being able to put on that uniform and wear it again at Wrigley Field will be very special.
Ross added, “Jake is still a first-class pitcher in the rotation. Sometimes, when we go back to the famous coaches, the familiar spots can really improve your game.”
Arrieta pitched for teams in his hometown of Austin, Texas during the winter, but stayed in close contact with the Cubs during the free-agent process. After the team started cutting salaries, including trade starter Yu Darvish, Arrieta wasn’t sure there would be room for him.
“At first I thought it was less likely when those things started to happen,” Arrieta explained.[Pero] your need to pitch is there.
“It’s an unusual market for free agents. Unlike anything we’ve seen in the past. Baseball is in a strange place. Teams have had to change the way they approach certain aspects of the game, and rightly so. [debido a preocupaciones financieras]
Arrieta returns to Chicago as a more experienced leader. He’s already trying to convey his wisdom to younger pitchers, indicating that he has spent a lot of time with 25-year-old Adbert Alzolay.
“It’s part of the territory,” said Arrieta. “You come to a point in your career where you are expected to perform not only on the field, but also off the field. I am proud of that.”
“He understands the presence he has,” Ross said.
Arrieta will certainly receive a warm welcome from Cubs fans as it is a reminder of his glory years, although the team could be in transition at this point. Arrieta wants to show them he’s the man they remember dominating the race on his way to a Cy Young and a Championship.
“I have a lot in the tank,” said Arrieta. “I still have a lot to accomplish in this game. I am excited that it will happen again in this Cubs uniform.”