THE SIXTH- MAN REWARD
Pressure’s on rested Arrieta to pitch Cubs into Game 7
CLEVELAND— Of all the great things right- hander Jake Arrieta has done in such a relatively short time frame — think 0.75 second- half ERA in 2015, the lowest in the history of the game— what will it matter should he fail to pitch the Cubs into Game 7 of the World Series?
It’s unfair to say what the 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner has accomplished — he followed that second half with a good, not great 3.10 ERA in 2016 — won’t mean much if he doesn’t come through Tuesday against the Indians in Game 6 at Progressive Field, but such is the nature of sports. It’s ‘‘ What have you done for me in the last three hours?’’ or ‘‘ What did you do when your team needed you to pass the baton to Kyle Hendricks for Game 7?’’
In the last week, Arrieta did enough to help the Cubs win Game 2 in Cleveland, a 5- 1 victory in which he took a no- hitter into the sixth but did not finish the inning. But if he’s not sharp this time, Arrieta will be remembered this entire offseason and into next year for what he didn’t accomplish in Game 6.
Arrieta knows this, and he says he has to guard against trying to shoulder more of the burden than he’s capable of. This is what some of the Cubs’ young hitters have done in the World Series, and by perhaps swinging for the long ball instead of trying to simplify and contribute a quality, productive at- bat, they’ve doomed themselves to failure.
Arrieta, who pitched the Cubs into the 2015 NL Division Series by dominating the Pirates in the wild- card game, can’t let that happen on the mound.
“I don’t necessarily know if we have that mindset,’’ Arrieta said of the Cubs’ starters. “We focus on executing and trying to limit the opponent to as few runs as possible, regardless of how many we score. That’s the intent. I have to take care of my end of the bargain to the best of my ability, and I know that our offense is doing the exact same thing.’’
There is some pressure on Arrieta to go deep into this game, though. While closer Aroldis Chapman will have a full day of rest with the day off Monday, he did throw a hefty 42 pitches over 2‰ innings in the Cubs’ 3- 2 victory in Game 5 and likely won’t be available for anything that long, so manager Joe Maddon said Monday that he needs at least six innings from Arrieta.
The good thing? Arrieta, who needed 98 pitches to get through 5‰ innings in Game 2 ( he struck out six and walked three), will be working on five days of rest.
On the flip side, the Indians are using three starters, pitching them on three days of rest, and taxing their bullpen. But it’s a formula that has worked to the tune of a 10- 3 record this postseason.
For Arrieta, the extra day is welcome this time of year.
“It should be helpful,’’ said Maddon, who will be looking for “at least six and possibly seven innings.’’
This is where Arrieta needs to step forward, again, and back his signature swagger with a strong, deep performance. Swagger? This is the guy who, when told he might go 30- 2 this season while breezing to a 6- 0 start ( he finished at 18- 8), said, “Why not 32- 0?”
Maddon is saying, how about seven good innings?
Cubs fans are saying, how about a seventh game?
“It’s up to us to take it to that seventh game,’’ Maddon said, “and then you’re really going to have a classic everyone will remember. We feel good about having Jake pitching tomorrow.’’