Ex-cubs ace right-hander Arrieta says he’s retiring
CHICAGO » Jake Arrieta, a key pitcher on the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 World Series championship team, has decided to retire.
Arrieta made the announcement during a Barstool Sports podcast.
“I haven’t signed the papers, man, but I’m done. It’s time for me to step away from the game,” he said. “At some point the uniform goes to somebody else and it’s just my time, really.”
The 36-year-old Arrieta went 5-14 with a 7.39 ERA in 24 starts for the Cubs and San Diego Padres last season. He finishes his career with a 115-93 record and 3.98 ERA in 285 games, 279 starts, over 12 years in the majors.
Arrieta won the NL Cy Young Award with Chicago in 2015 and helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series for their first championship since 1908.
He was first acquired by Chicago in a July 2013 trade with Baltimore, a key move in the franchise’s rise from the bottom of the NL Central to one of the majors’ best teams.
Arrieta, a fifth-round pick by the Orioles in the 2007 amateur draft, was a dominant force in 2015, going 22-6 with a sparkling 1.77 ERA in 33 starts. He followed his Cy Young campaign with 18 wins and a 3.10 ERA in 31 starts in 2016.
Arrieta also performed well in the postseason during his first stint with Chicago. He tossed a five-hitter in the Cubs’ 4-0 win at
Pittsburgh in the 2015 NL wildcard game. And he won both his World Series starts at Cleveland in 2016, compiling a 2.38 ERA in 11L innings.
The 6-foot-4 right-hander signed a $75 million, three-year contract with Philadelphia in March 2018 and went 22-23 with a 4.36 ERA in 64 starts with the Phillies.
Lowrie, Puk, Trevino among 6 A’s added to COVID-19 IL.
OAKLAND, CALIF. » Infielder Jed Lowrie and relievers A.J. Puk and Lou Trivino were among six players added to the COVID-19 injured list by the Oakland Athletics before their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.
Reliever Kirby Snead, infielder Chad Pinder and catcher Austin Allen also were put on the COVID-19 IL and joined outfielder Scott Piscotty, placed on the list on Friday.
“We definitely have been faced with some challenges.” A’s rookie manager Mark Kotsay said. “I think the way you handle those challenges enables you to get through them quicker, take it on and move forward.”
Trout out of lineup but MRI negative on injured left hand.
HOUSTON » Mike Trout was out of the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night, a day after the star center fielder was hit on his left hand by a pitch.
Team trainer Mike Frostad said an MRI on Monday was negative for a fracture and that Trout has a bruise. Frostad added Trout’s return to the lineup will depend on pain tolerance.
Manager Joe Maddon said Trout is considered day to day with the injury but wasn’t sure if he’d return during this series with the Houston Astros, which ends Wednesday. Trout said Sunday that when he first was hit, he thought he broke the hand.
Boston’s Plawecki, 2 staff members test positive for COVID.
BOSTON » Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki tested positive for COVID-19 along with two staff members, manager Alex Cora said before Boston faced the Twins in its annual Patriots’ Day game.