In celebration of former Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta's 39th birthday, we are reviewing some of his most impressive performances in blue pinstripes.
The bearded right-hander's time with the Cubs spanned four and a half seasons of the pitcher's career when he helped break the organization's 108-year World Series drought and anchored the pitching staff during what was arguably the most successful era in Cubs history.
There were many dominant outings in that time, but here are five times Arrieta did incredible things on the mound for the Cubs.
No-Hitter against the Dodgers
On August 15, 2015, Arrieta tossed the first Cubs no-hitter in seven years, since Carlos Zambrano's performance against the Houston Astros in 2008. Arrieta set down a solid Los Angeles Dodgers lineup, which featured several sluggers like Adrian Gonzalez, Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, and a young Corey Seager.
They were unable to withstand Arrieta's prowess on the mound, and he turned in a 116-pitch effort (80 strikes), with 1 walk, and 12 strikeouts.
The no-hitter was preserved by excellent defensive plays from Kris Bryant and Starlin Castro, who fielded tough ground balls at third and second base respectively.
This was one of the games that put Arrieta on the map nationally, as the game was also televised on Sunday night baseball.
No-hitter against the Reds
On April 21, 2016, Jake Arrieta threw a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, leading the Chicago Cubs to a dominant 16-0 victory. It was the second no-hitter of Arrieta’s career, following his first against the Dodgers. His second no-hitter was particularly impressive considering the Great American Ball Park is regarded as one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball.
Although the Reds were a last-place team in 2016, their lineup still featured capable hitters like Adam Duvall, Eugenio Suarez, and Joey Votto while he was still in his prime.
Arrieta was in complete control throughout the game, striking out six batters and walking four over nine hitless innings. He benefited from strong defensive plays and an explosive Cubs offense, which provided ample run support. Arrieta himself collected two hits in the game and drove in a pair of runs. The Cubs' 16-run margin made it one of the most lopsided no-hitters in modern MLB history.
With this performance, Arrieta extended his personal winning streak to 17 consecutive decisions, reinforcing his dominance as the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. His second no-hitter cemented his status as one of the most formidable pitchers in baseball at the time.
The 2015 Wild Card Game
On October 7, 2015, Jake Arrieta delivered one of the most dominant postseason pitching performances in MLB history, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game at PNC Park. Arrieta’s brilliance on the mound secured the Cubs' first postseason victory since 2003 and set the tone for their deep playoff run.
Heading into the Wild Card Game, Arrieta was at the peak of his powers. He had completed one of the greatest second halves ever by a pitcher, posting a 0.75 ERA after the All-Star break, the lowest in MLB history for a pitcher with at least 15 starts in that span. He finished the season with a 22-6 record, a 1.77 ERA, and 236 strikeouts.
Before the game, Arrieta issued a savage proclamation on Twitter, telling Pirates fans that their team had no chance.
The bearded right-hander backed up his smack talk by mowing down the 98-win Pittsburgh lineup, with 11 strikeouts, no walks, and no runs in the first postseason appearance of his career. 68% of the 113 pitches Arrieta threw were for strikes, and the victory was just the fourth complete-game shutout in a winner-take-all game in postseason history.
The Wild Card performance was the crown jewel of Arrieta's extraordinary 2015 season, which notched him the organization's fifth National League Cy Young Award and joined the likes of Cubs legends like Fergie Jenkins, Greg Maddux, Bruce Sutter, and Rick Sutcliffe.
Game 6 of the 2016 World Series
Although Arrieta's herculean status was technically declining at this point, since it's virtually impossible to replicate what he did in 2015, the Cubs starter would have still been considered an ace on the majority of pitching staffs in baseball in 2016. It just so happens that this was the year Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester posted the two best ERAs in MLB (2.13 and 2.44 respectively).
But Arrieta still got to work when he needed to, and there was no greater call to action than game 6 of the World Series. After the Cubs went down 3 games to 1 in the series, they were playing for their lives for the final three contests and Arrieta shoved in game 6 to keep the world title hopes alive.
Arrieta, who had already won Game 2 of the series with a 5 2/3-inning, one-run effort, was tasked with keeping Cleveland’s offense in check once more. And he limited the Indians to 2 hits, 2 runs, and 3 walks in another 5 2/3 effort with 9 strikeouts.
The performance wasn't perfect and there are other games on this list that were more impressive, but it was exactly what the Cubs needed at the time. Which was a gritty, overpowering effort that gave the team a chance to win and the Cubs would not have secured the championship without his efforts.
Arrieta was assisted by the Cubs' offense, which was powered by a solo home run from Kris Bryant in the first inning and six RBIs from shortstop Addison Russell, including a grand slam.
