(670 The Score) Right-hander Jake Arrieta’s time with the Cubs is over.
Chicago has placed Arrieta on unconditional release waivers, the club announced Thursday. The move came a day after Arrieta was hammered in allowing eight runs, all earned, in four innings in a 10-0 loss to the Brewers.
It continued an abysmal stretch for Arrieta, who didn’t log more than four innings in any of his last five starts.
"You hate to see that on so many different levels," manager David Ross said. "I am grateful for all the things he gave to me. It just stinks. I try to forget things like last night. You look up and see the numbers he put on the board and what he had done for this organization, the time we spent together on the this team in 2015, '16 -- those are the things I will be holding onto."
Arrieta, 35, was 5-11 with a 6.88 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in 20 starts this season. He had an 8.35 ERA in 14 starts since May 1.
Arrieta rejoined the Cubs on a one-year deal in the offseason after pitching for the Phillies for the past three years. Arrieta had a spectacular run with the Cubs from 2013-’17, winning the National League Cy Young award in 2015 and helping lead the team to a World Series title in 2016.
In other moves Thursday, the Cubs placed catcher Willson Contreras on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain, designated reliever Kyle Ryan for assignment, activated catcher Austin Romine from the 60-day injured list and selected the contract of right-hander Ryan Meisinger.
Ryan had a 6.75 ERA in 13 appearances for the Cubs this season. Romine has appeared in just six games for the Cubs in 2021 as he battled a serious left wrist injury.
Meisinger has made 20 MLB appearances, split across the 2018 and 2020 seasons. He has a 4.25 ERA in 24 appearances at Triple-A Iowa this season.