Jake Arrieta hits a 3-run shot off Madison Bumgarner (Video)
By David Rouben
Here’s something you don’t see everyday: Jake Arrieta crushing a three-run shot against one of the best playoff pitchers of all-time in Madison Bumgarner.
When the 2016 MLB playoffs began, we got treated to one of the best pitching matchups of all-time. Madison Bumgarner vs. Noah Syndergaard in the NL Wild Card Game perfectly set the tone for October baseball, and the legend of MadBum continued to grow.
Against the juggernaut Chicago Cubs, the San Francisco Giants needed Bumgarner to be his brilliant self. But the earliest they could use him was Game 3, which is why the Cubs waited until then to unleash Jake Arrieta.
Last year’s NL Cy Young winner put together another brilliant campaign. However, Joe Maddon didn’t use him as often, since his 33 regular season starts in 2015 translated to a poor performance in the postseason.
In his first playoff start since giving up four earned runs to the New York Mets, Arrieta was determined to put on a show. And while Bumgarner may be arguably the best playoff pitcher of all-time, Arrieta snapped his streak of 24 scoreless innings with a three-run home run in the second:
The reaction from his teammates says it all:
That was Arrieta’s fifth career home run, and his first in the playoffs. He also became the second pitcher on the Cubs to hit a homer, after Travis Wood did so in Game 2.
A lot of people feel like the NL needs to adopt the designated hitter, but if they do, then we’ll get robbed of moments such as this.
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When facing Madison Bumgarner, getting one run is hard enough. But the Cubs got three because of their pitcher. You can’t make that up! It also makes him No. 1 on the team in RBIs this series.
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If Arrieta does beat out MadBum, it won’t just be because of his performance on the mound. This game may be the first step Arrieta needs to take to become an all-time great pitcher in the postseason, just like his counterpart.