Jake Arrieta hits second home run of season (Video)

Cubs ace goes yard for the fourth time in the past two seasons

Earlier in June, Jake Arrieta told reporters that he wanted in on this year’s Home Run Derby. Monday, the 2015 NL Cy Young winner added to his home run hitting credentials.

Arrieta stepped to the plate against Cincinnati Reds righthander Michael Lorenzen with two outs in the top of the fifth, and took a 1-0 pitch deep into right field for his second home run of the season, and the fourth of his career. The 381-foot shot put Chicago up 8-3 in a game that they would hold on to win 11-8, with Arrieta pitching five innings, striking out four, and collecting the win. According to MLB’s statistics, the ball left Arrieta’s bat at 103 MPH.

It was Arrieta’s second home run in an opposing ballpark. Every career home run of Arrieta’s has come against a right handed pitcher. It’s another bright mark in a banner 2016 season that’s seen Arrieta collect 11 wins as of June 27th, pitch his second career no-hitter, and lead the Cubs to the best record in baseball.

This homer ties Arrieta for the MLB lead in home runs among pitchers, along with Madison Bumgarner of the Giants, and the Mets’ Noah Synergaard, all of whom have two. However, with four home runs in his career, Arrieta trails the active leaders among pitchers, who are led by Bumgarner with 13, Yovani Gallardo with 12, and Arrieta’s Cubs teammate Travis Wood with 9. It remains to be seen if this will influence Arrieta’s Home Run Derby chances, or if said chances even existed to begin with, but more home runs obviously couldn’t hurt.

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