One of the critical players in the Chicago Cubs’ World Series championship season is now retiring.
Jake Arrieta, who was drafted in 2007 by the Baltimore Orioles, announced his retirement from baseball.
Chicago traded for Arrieta in 2013, a move that paid dividends for the team.
However, he now hangs up his glove, leaving behind memories of his once dominant time in Chicago.
Is he a great Cubs pitcher?
What makes his time in Chicago so special?
Arrieta’s Best Years Came During His First Run As A Cubbie
Arrieta served two stints with Chicago, with the first stint being his best with the team.
His time in Chicago started in July 2013 and lasted until the 2017 season ended.
In 2015, he’d see his best season of his entire career.
My top five favorite (no particular order) Jake Arrieta memories, a thread
August 30, 2015 – Arrieta no-hits the Dodgers. 116 pitches, 80 for strikes. 12 Ks.
pic.twitter.com/ezp96nYQFa— Cody Delmendo (@Cody_CHGO) April 19, 2022
He pitched in 33 games and went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA, making him the best Cubs pitcher for the season.
What’s more impressive is that he reached that 1.77 ERA by having a second half ERA of 0.75.
So after the 2015 All-Star break, Arrieta improved and dominated opponents.
However, it would be his performance in the World Series that most Cubs fans remember.
In his two World Series starts against the Cleveland Indians, he would win both those games.
It would be those wins that helped the Cubs break a 108-year World Series championship drought.
However, Arrieta would leave Chicago, only to return in 2021.
Arrieta’s 2021 Run With Cubs Ended Disappointment And Him Being Released
After declining starts with the Philadelphia Phillies, Arrieta would return to Chicago.
He hoped to find that winning fire he saw during his first run with the Cubs.
However, he never found that same success from his prior time with Chicago.
In 20 games he went 5-11 with a disappointing 6.88 ERA.
It lead to the Cubs releasing him in August 2021, ending his career with Chicago.
Jake Arrieta has been placed on unconditional release waivers, per the team. He’s done as a Cub.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) August 12, 2021
It also hurts his memorable moments he had with the Cubs earlier in his career.
However, fans who remember the good times never forget his time in Chicago as a leader and winner.
Taking The Good With The Bad: Why He Is The Best
Arrieta had four full seasons with the Cubs and two partial seasons as well.
In those four full seasons, he went 64-29 with some incredible ERAs.
However, the 2013 and 2021 partial seasons saw him go 9-13 combined.
These stats show Arrieta started strong with Chicago, and improved until he peaked in 2015.
While his decline started in 2016, he still did well and helped Chicago win a World Series.
But it would be after he left Chicago that the downward trend would get worse for him.
Nothing will top the time he had with Chicago from 2013 to 2017.
His stats in 2015 ranked him among the best pitchers in Cubs history.
Fans would need to look at players during the 1900s to find pitchers with an ERA under 1.77.
Those things help make him an all-time great pitcher in Chicago Cubs history.
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