Cubs release Arrieta, ending 2nd stint with team originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Jake Arrieta’s second stint with the Cubs has ended.
The Cubs announced Thursday they placed Arrieta on unconditional release waivers.
Arrieta got off to a good start this season, holding a 2.57 ERA in his first five starts. He's struggled since the end of April, however, posting a 8.95 ERA over his last 15 starts.
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He hasn’t pitched six innings since May 14 and has gone four or less over his last five outings. He allowed eight runs in four innings Wednesday against Milwaukee, including seven in the first inning.
“Early on in the season, I think his stuff was probably a little bit sharper and his command was a little better,” team president Jed Hoyer said. “Obviously, things over time this season things tapered back a bit.
“I think with Jake, he did everything he could to succeed,” Hoyer added. “He's a really hard worker, worked really hard in all his bullpen sessions. This certainly was not for a lack of effort on his part in any way, and obviously, this didn't work out.”
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The Cubs brought Arrieta back to the North Side on a one-year deal over the offseason after the right-hander spent three seasons in Philadelphia. Before that stint with the Phillies, he was a key cog in the Cubs’ run of success, after coming over in a trade with the Orioles in 2013.
Arrieta won the 2015 NL Cy Young Award. He won five postseason games from 2015-17, including two in the 2016 World Series. He won Game 4 of the 2017 NLCS over the Dodgers — the Cubs’ last postseason win.
Arrieta's history and past success with the Cubs made releasing him a "more difficult, more complicated" decision, Hoyer said.
“When you look back, there's a really good argument to say he's one of the more influential people in the history of this franchise,” Hoyer said. "Other guys probably have longer careers, put up some more numbers.
"But when you look at what the apex of his career was here, you could argue it had as much of an impact on three really good seasons in ’15, ’16 and ‘17 and a world championship. You can argue that he had as much influence in that or as much to do with that as any single player."
“Nothing at all this year diminishes what he's done. This guy's a legend here."
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