Cubs: Jake Arrieta reuniting with Chicago in his free agency

After three years with the Philadelphia Phillies, Jake Arrieta is reuniting to the Chicago Cubs in his free agency.

Jake Arrieta had his best big league seasons on the North Side, so it comes as no surprise the veteran right-hander is rejoining the Chicago Cubs in his impending MLB free agency.

Arrieta spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. While he had some success in the City of Brotherly Love, it was nowhere close to what he accomplished when he was with the Cubs. Arrieta went 68-31 in 128 games over parts of five seasons. He won the 2015 NL Cy Young, made the 2016 NL All-Star Team and, most importantly, won the World Series in 2016.

Can Jake Arrieta have similar success with Chicago the second time around?

An advantage of going back to Chicago is familiarity. This is where Arrieta played the best ball in his 11-year big league career. At his apex, Arrieta was a front-line starter and one you could build a championship contender around. While the on-field success did not translate with the Phillies, Arrieta is in his mid-30s and may have a little more juice with this Second City second coming.

Though a lot has changed in the Cubs organization since his last year with the team in 2017, Arrieta will be managed by former Chicago backstop David Ross. Even if the Cubs are not serious World Series contenders in 2021, they can absolutely be a wild-card team, possibly winning the NL Central again if the Milwaukee Brewers fade and the St. Louis Cardinals fail to live up to the hype.

An Arrieta reunion in Chicago means Cubs fans will be able to bring old jerseys out of the closet.