Jake Arrieta is a former professional baseball player who played as a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on March 6, 1986, in Farmington, Missouri, and attended Plano East Senior High School in Texas. Arrieta was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 26th round of the 2005 MLB draft but did not sign with the team. Instead, he attended Texas Christian University (TCU) and played college baseball for the TCU Horned Frogs.
Arrieta's professional career began in 2007 when he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the fifth round of the MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2010 and played for the team until 2013. During his time with the Orioles, Arrieta struggled with consistency and had a career record of 20-25 with a 5.46 ERA.
In 2013, Arrieta was traded to the Chicago Cubs, where he experienced a career resurgence. He worked with pitching coach Chris Bosio to refine his mechanics and improve his command, resulting in a breakout season in 2014. Arrieta finished the season with a 10-5 record and a 2.53 ERA, and he was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for August.
Arrieta's success continued in 2015, as he posted a 22-6 record with a 1.77 ERA and won the National League Cy Young Award. He also helped lead the Cubs to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. In the playoffs, Arrieta pitched a complete game shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game and won two games in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.
In 2016, Arrieta played a key role in the Cubs' World Series championship run. He finished the regular season with an 18-8 record and a 3.10 ERA and pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds in April. In the playoffs, Arrieta won two games in the National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants and pitched a gem in Game 2 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians, allowing only one run in 5.2 innings.
After the 2017 season, Arrieta became a free agent and signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He had a solid first season with the Phillies, posting a 10-11 record with a 3.96 ERA, but struggled in 2019 with a 8-8 record and a 4.64 ERA. Arrieta was limited to only nine starts in 2020 due to injury and finished the season with a 4.08 ERA.
In February 2021, Arrieta signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, returning to the team where he had his greatest success. However, he struggled in his second stint with the Cubs, posting a 5-11 record with a 6.88 ERA in 20 starts before being released in August.
Overall, Arrieta had a successful career in MLB, finishing with a career record of 115-90 and a 3.76 ERA. He was a two-time All-Star, a Cy Young Award winner, and a World Series champion.
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