Maddon on Cubs chances with Jake Arrieta |
It's not looking good for Cub fans that wanted
Jake Arrieta back on the North Side for 2018.
The Cubs were interested in Arrieta returning to the team but there was the massive sticking point in the number of years in a contract that the Cubs were willing to pay for. Both sides have reportedly not spoken with each other since the Winter Meetings. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was on WSCR-AM 670 on Friday and admitted that Arrieta "is probably gone." Maddon also discussed the other option of trading some young talent for starting pitching. "I haven’t wrapped my mind about it," he said. "If it were to happen, it’s the nature of this game. It’s never easy, but you move it along." Arrieta rejected the Cubs $17.4 million qualifying offer several weeks ago. In 2017, Arrieta had a 14-10 record with 3.53 ERA, 163 strikeouts, and 1.22 WHIP.
