CHICAGO — Nearly six months after the Chicago Cubs signed right-hander Jake Arrieta, a pairing both sides envisioned as a fruitful reunion, he briefly paused while weighing a postgame question:
Twenty starts into the season, do you have a sense of why it hasn’t clicked?
“I’ve got nothing for you, man,” Arrieta said. “I’m doing the best I can, and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”
With a quick “thanks,” Arrieta stood up from behind the table in the Cubs interview room Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, punctuating six minutes of the veteran trying to explain what had transpired in a 10-0 blowout loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in which he surrendered seven of his eight runs and heard boos during an ugly first inning.
The outing represented yet another microcosm of a nightmarish season for Arrieta, who sports a 6.88 ERA. Wednesday was his ninth start this season of four innings or less, the most by a Cubs starter since Jim Bullinger in 1996. Arrieta also became the fifth Cubs starter since 2000 to give up 11-plus hits and eight-plus runs in four innings or less. While Arrieta attributed his first-inning woes to balls “not very hard hit but found some space” in the infield and outfield, the fact that he was in the position of trying to provide insight to another unraveled start put him and the Cubs in an unenviable position.
Their relationship was severed Thursday morning when the Cubs placed Arrieta on unconditional release waivers. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said the decision was made after Wednesday’s game.
The move ends a Cubs tenure that spanned six seasons (2013-17 and 2021) featuring a Cy Young award, All-Star appearance, two no-hitters, a dominant 2015 wild-card shutout in Pittsburgh and a World Series title in 2016 in which he won two games against Cleveland.
“It was the right thing to do for him ... for us it just seemed like the right time,” Hoyer said. “Nothing that happened on the mound last night or the other nights in any way diminishes his role in club history. I think 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. Other guys probably had longer careers, probably put up some more numbers, but when you look at what the apex of his career was here ... you can argue 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.”
Arrieta always has exuded confidence, which seemingly didn’t waver amid his struggles.
“I go into every start with the intent to have a lot of success and that’s the only mindset you can have at this level,” Arrieta said after the game. “If you go out there and you’re already beat mentally, chances are you’re not going to perform well. Obviously, the confidence doesn’t match the results and that’s something that I’m going to have to deal with. Am I happy about it? No. But being unhappy about it’s not going to change the way that I move forward and approach the remainder of the season.
“If it was easy, everybody would do it, so confidence in this game is something that has to be a part of your routine, and that’s just flat out the way it is. And if it’s not, you’re not going to be around for very long.”
Hours before the shellacking, manager David Ross remarked that the 35-year-old right-hander was in a unique position over the next few weeks. He noted how Arrieta is trying to clean up his season like other players, finish strong and continue his career that is expected to feature free agency in the offseason. His one-year deal with the Cubs included a $10 million mutual option for 2022.
“There’s moments he should take in, like in a place that he’s done really special things, and continue to impact this organization and the young guys here, I think he’s done a phenomenal job this year (at that),” Ross said. “That’s not around our game enough. Our game’s gone really young, and I understand a lot of that. But there’s also that veteran voice that’s competed at a high level, that has a World Series ring, experience, who’s carried the load in some of the biggest moments in his organization’s history, this guy standing on the bump and we’re relying on him.
“So to pull from that the routine, the preparation, the mindset, the mentality, the way he competes, the way he works, all those things, man, it can’t be overstated.”
Maybe this season won’t tarnish how Cubs fans remember him, but as poor starts continued to pile up for Arrieta, perhaps that became harder to avoid even for a legendary pitcher. Arrieta sustained a career-high seven consecutive losses, and in 14 starts dating to April 30, he gave up 58 earned runs in 58 1/3 innings (8.95 ERA). Given his history with the organization prior and what all that can represent in a now inexperienced clubhouse, it likely created a complicated path forward.
“Me personally, like outside of being the manager, I would definitely say, yeah, I would like to give him as much runway as possible,” Ross said before Arrieta’s last start. “I think this game is harsh at times too, right? I think there’s some hard realities in this game that don’t always allow that.”
After that leeway ended abruptly Thursday, Ross said he’s holding onto all the good his former teammate did for the organization.
“You hate that one on so many levels for me, a friend, and I’ve got so much to be thankful for that he’s given me,” Ross said. “So yeah, it just stinks. ... I try to forget stuff like last night.”
The Cubs’ move to a six-man rotation earlier this week was more than just a creative way to get rookie left-hander Justin Steele some starts. It will help the organization manage the workloads of all their starters, whether it’s veteran Kyle Hendricks or right-hander Adbert Alzolay in his first big league season. Part of that, though, requires starting pitchers to give Ross innings to avoid taxing a bullpen that has one fewer reliever.
After Alec Mills’ start was cut short and limited to only 2 1/3 innings Tuesday night because of a lengthy rain delay, the Cubs needed innings from Arrieta. By the time there was one out in the second inning Wednesday, right-hander Michael Rucker was warming in the bullpen. Arrieta was able to grind through four innings, but that’s not what the Cubs expected him to provide coming into the year.
“It’s not hard (to go through tough times),” Arrieta said. “It’s part of the job description. It’s where I’m at in my career. We have a group of young guys that are here now to grow in this game, to make mistakes, to learn from them and to ultimately be a part of this team’s future. ... Would I’ve liked to pitch better, would I’ve liked to have pitch better throughout the season, of course, but now the job description includes a lot more than just that. It’s about helping these young guys grow and finding any way that I can in my power to help them have success and that’s important.”
There aren’t many options to replace Arrieta in the rotation right now. Only two Triple-A starting pitchers are on the Cubs 40-man roster. Right-hander Cory Abbott has struggled this year both in Iowa’s rotation (7.34 ERA in 12 starts) and in six appearances out of the Cubs bullpen, while right-hander Keegan Thompson continues to stretch out and build up innings to prep for big league starts in the final weeks.
The Cubs replaced Arrieta on the roster with right-hander Ryan Meisinger, who was selected from Triple-A Iowa. Left-hander Kyle Ryan was designated for assignment to create a 40-man spot after catcher Austin Romine was activated from the 60-day injured list.
The Cubs currently sit in fourth place in the division with the 10th-worst record in baseball as their free fall continues.
A decision had been looming on Arrieta’s future. Thompson’s arrival likely would have forced the Cubs to move Arrieta to the bullpen, potentially using him in a piggyback setup with another starter, or release him. Wednesday’s performance expedited that process.
After departing in free agency and spending the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Arrieta’s decline was already apparent. And his second go-round is a stark reminder that reunions can end poorly.
