How ephemeral was the peak of Jake Arrieta?
Before anyone knew what the Chicago Cubs really had in him, he was gone. Acquired by the Cubs from the Baltimore Orioles for Steve Clevenger and Scott Feldman, Arrieta had a career 5.46 ERA to that point, he was a mere sweetener for Pedro Strop in that deal.
Just two years later, he would win the National League Cy Young with one of the best seasons in Cubs history. Then two years after that, he reverted back to the pitcher he once was, rounding out the final four seasons of his career with a 4.62 ERA.
But even in 2015, Arrieta's brilliance wasn't long-lasting. On June 16 he pitched 5.0 innings and allowed four runs, raising his ERA to 3.40. From then on out he was unhittable.
Over his last 20 starts he pitched 147.0 innings. Arrieta allowed 14 runs, struck out 147, walked just 27 and surrendered only two home runs. His ERA in that span was 0.86.
Across August and September his ERA was an even more unreal 0.41. Over the season's final two months he made 12 starts and allowed runs in only four games. His peak was a 12-strikeout, no-hitter on Aug. 30.
One of the best league-wide pitching seasons in recent memory, Arrieta only narrowly won the Cy Young on this day in 2015, Nov. 18. His ERA of 1.77 was higher than Zack Greinke's 1.66, but Arrieta's second half was more dominant in the mind of the BBWAA voters.
More must-reads: