(670 The Score) Veteran right-hander Jake Arrieta and the Cubs have agreed on a one-year deal that will bring him back to Chicago, a source confirmed to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score on Friday evening. The deal is pending a physical and will guarantee Arrieta at least $6 million, according to reports.
Arrieta, 34, pitched for the Cubs from 2013-'17 in a stellar tenure that included winning the National League Cy Young award in 2015 and helping the team win the World Series in 2016. Arrieta was 68-31 with a 2.73 ERA over that span in Chicago.
Arrieta then joined the Phillies on a three-year deal and saw his numbers regress in Philadelphia. He went 4-4 with a 5.08 ERA in nine starts in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Arrieta projects to fill one of the back-end spots in a Cubs rotation that has seen many departures this winter. The Cubs have lost four-fifths of their intended starting rotation for the 2020 campaign, trading ace Yu Darvish to the Padres and letting Jon Lester, Jose Quintana and Tyler Chatwood walk in free agency.
The Cubs acquired Arrieta from the Orioles in a 2013 trade, adding a struggling pitching prospect who then developed and became a pivotal part of their success.
Jon Heyman of MLB Network first reported the news of Arrieta and the Cubs being on the verge of a deal.