CINCINNATI – Jake Arrieta has meant so much to the Cubs that he should be in the National League MVP discussion and not just a Cy Young Award frontrunner.
With a questionable rotation and as many as four rookies in the everyday lineup, the Cubs have won 75 percent of Arrieta’s starts (24-8), making the leap from fringe wild-card team to 94-win contender during his second-half transformation.
Arrieta (21-6, 1.92 ERA) will get the chance to make a final impression on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voters on Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park (7:10 p.