You know that annoying thing that happens when an athlete leaves Philadelphia and becomes good — or becomes good again? Usually this annoyance coincides with the replacement player grossly underperforming, thus intensifying the misery and bitterness.

For a minute back in April, it looked like old friend Jake Arrieta might become the latest guy to do it.

After signing a three-year deal worth $75 million (he ended up making a total of just over $62 million because of a shortened 2020 schedule), Arrieta turned in three mediocre seasons with the Phillies. He then signed a one-year deal worth $6 million with Chicago back in February in an effort to revive the previous magic he had with the Cubs.

Through five starts, Arrieta posted a 2.57 ERA over 28 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .214 average and modest .630 OPS. If you’re a Cubs fan, or picked up Arrieta on your fantasy baseball squad, those starts probably feel like forever ago.

Fast-forward to this afternoon when the Cubs staked him an early 7-0 lead. Like his previous five June starts, things did not go well. At all.


The reactions look…familiar.

https://twitter.com/cubssarah/status/1410318987204956162?s=20

For the season, Arrieta is now up to a 5.57 ERA. Behold his June numbers, numbers that are particularly horrible:

6 starts, 0-3 record, 21.2 IP, 29 H, 20 ER, 14 BB, 21 K, 8.31 ERA

One more: