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Jake Arrieta’s exit in August by a Chicago Cubs team he won a Cy Young Award and World Series with has been described by team principal Jed Hoyer as “the right thing to do.”
His release from the San Diego Padres roster on Tuesday can rightly be summed up as inevitable.
The Padres signed the 12-season MLB veteran on Aug. 16 in hopes he could bolster their pitching rotation for the stretch race. Four starts and 15 earned runs later, the The Padres have nominated Arrieta for the assignment. In a corresponding move, they activated the Javy Guerra launcher from the 60 Day Injured List.
The Padres projected optimism into Arrieta signing
“We need quality innings, we need throws, we need an opportunity to win games,” said Padres manager Jayce Tingler as Arrieta signed to a plagued pitching team. to injuries. “With all of his experience, everything he has done, we need quality handles over the past seven weeks, and we believe he can be part of that solution.”
Tingler’s optimism for Arrieta’s arrival was countered by the reality of a 35-year-old pitcher who posted a 6.88 ERA in 20 starts for the Cubs before his release in Chicago. Arrieta looked a lot like the same player in San Diego while pitching 12.1 innings with a 10.95 ERA, 1.865 WHIP and 0-3 record.
He certainly can’t be faulted for San Diego’s fall from NL West prospects to 20.5 games behind the San Francisco Giants, first. But it certainly didn’t help the cause. For the Padres, releasing Arrieta is tantamount to acknowledging a mistake as they look to hang on to their playoff hopes.
After a three-game sweep by the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend, the Padres came on Tuesday four games behind that same Cardinals team for the second and final NL Wild Card slot. Arrieta allowed 4 earned runs in Sunday’s 15-4 loss to St. Louis before coming away with a groin injury after recording just one out.
The Padres play their last 12 playoff games against the Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, and then again against the Giants, who all project to playoff teams.
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