CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- When right-hander Jake Arrieta joined the Cubs for the first time in 2013, he was a floundering former prized prospect hoping to stay in the major leagues. Now in his second stint with the ballclub, he's trying to define the final years of his esteemed career.
A Cy Young winner in 2015 and pivotal part of the Cubs' recent run of success, Arrieta is now a 35-year-old pitcher looking to reinvent himself once again and extend his time in the big leagues. He struggled with the Phillies for the past two seasons, posting a 4.75 ERA over 180 innings of work. It's what led him to return to Chicago, where he hoped to regroup once again.
Arrieta envisioned starts like Saturday, when he went six innings and allowed one earned run in the Cubs' 5-1 win against the Pirates at Wrigley Field. He walked off the mound to a loud and familiar ovation from the limited crowd of 10,343 at the Friendly Confines.
"I've been anticipating this day for a while," Arrieta said. "It felt really good."
During his first five seasons with the Cubs from 2013-'17, Arrieta was 68-31 with a 2.73 ERA. He was the ace for an emerging force in the National League and was never more dominant than in his Cy Young season of 2015 in which he was 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA.
But Arrieta is no longer at his Cy Young form. His sinker and cutter velocity top out at 92 miles per hour instead of 95. His changeup isn't as potent as a result. And it can be a battle to make his breaking ball an overpowering force like before. It's the challenge many former aces face later in their careers.
Arrieta still relies heavily on timing with his delivery and arm slot, but now it's more than that. He must be crafty in approaching each opponent. On Saturday, the key for Arrieta was pitching down in the strike zone against a Pirates lineup eager to swing for the fences with the wind blowing out to center field. After allowing an RBI single in the first inning, he settled in and produced a quality start.
Arrieta has also learned to adjust within a game when portions of his arsenal aren't working. He went away from the cutter Saturday, prioritizing his sinker and curveball to attack the Pirates. But for all that has changed with Arrieta since 2015, his relentless mentality remains the same.
"It's pretty special to get Jake back with his attitude, his mindset," right fielder Jason Heyward said.
Kyle Hendricks is now the Cubs' staff ace while Zach Davies, Trevor Williams and Adbert Alzolay each offer upside in the rotation. For his part, Arrieta is a veteran who must be mindful within each start and keenly aware of what's working and what must change.
If Arrieta can stay in command on the mound, his return to the Cubs will bring more ovations and victories. That's what he wants and earned Saturday.
"Even though there's only 25% capacity," Arrieta said, "it felt like a lot more."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
