Jake Arrieta has the San Diego Padres as the latest MLB team to leap onto his radar. The former Chicago Cubs’ ace is one of several MLB free agents which remain unsigned.
That may soon change for Jake Arrieta, who is expected to make his decision this week, according to Yahoo Sports . The Padres have become a potential suitor and could offer Jake Arrieta a lucrative contract.
According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports , the San Diego Padres are contemplating about making a run at Jake Arrieta. Per Heyman, the possibility of adding Jake Arrieta would give the Padres a strong showing for their offseason.
It was the San Diego Padres who signed first baseman Eric Hosmer, who many MLB observers regarded as the best hitter available in free agency. Eric Hosmer inked an eight-year deal , according to Sports Illustrated .
The contract that the Padres gave Eric Hosmer is worth $144 million, which is the richest deal of the offseason. To complete a perfect winter Jake Arrieta to the Padres would make a lot of sense for both parties.
The San Diego Padres play at Petco Park, which is considered a pitcher’s park. Petco Park plays to Jake Arrieta’s strengths as a finesse pitcher, who tries to induce hitters into ground balls versus fly balls. The latter got Arrieta into trouble last year.
#padres already signed the biggest free agent of the year, and now sources say they have checked in on the biggest player/pitcher remaining. it’s probably a long shot, but they are thinking about it, anyway. https://t.co/BDl3GbrrZh
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 8, 2018
Once upon a time, Jake Arrieta would look to overpower opposing hitters with his fastball and cutter. Now Arrieta relies on a little bit of guile.
Last season with the Chicago Cubs there was a noticeable drop in velocity from Jake Arrieta’s fastball. This forced Arrieta to revamp his pitching mechanics on the fly. As a result, Jake Arrieta had to worry more about the placement of his pitches along the strike zone.
Jake Arrieta gave up 23 home runs with the Cubs last season. That is more than at any point over his eight-year career. That number would decrease if Arrieta were to pitch for the San Diego Padres.
Jake Arrieta to the Padres is not a slam dunk, as there are reports that the Philadelphia Phillies are also making a strong push for him (courtesy of Bleacher Report ).
If the Padres have serious interest in Arrieta an interesting bidding war could ensue. It would create an ideal situation for Jake Arrieta as far as maximizing his potential earnings.
The upcoming developments on Jake Arrieta is worth keeping an eye on.