Houston Astros: The case for going after Jake Arrieta
Now that the confetti and parades have subsided, the Houston Astros will look to defend their crown heading into 2018. After one of the greatest World Series in the history of baseball…
The Astros will now be met by a crowd of hungry contenders who are looking to take their spot as the best team in baseball. With a star-studded pitching rotation returning in 2018, the Houston Astros will be presented with tough decisions in the front office this offseason. One of them will be whether or not to chase a superstar pitcher: enter, Jake Arrieta.
While Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander were able to lead the Astros to the promise land, the team was still met with question marks around the pitching.
The bullpen was a mess for Houston during their October run, including the closer role, but we can address that another time. With Verlander and Keuchel being the one-two punch for the Astros, why not sign a knockout?
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Jake Arrieta is going to be known for his historic 2015 and 2016 seasons where he helped with the Chicago Cubs great awakening, which we all know led to the Cubs first World Series in over a hundred years.
In his last three seasons, Arrieta is 54-24 and has posted a 2.80 ERA during that span. With the Chicago Cubs considering letting him walk this winter, the door is open for the defending World Series Champs to snag him off the streets.
There is no certainty’s in baseball, and with the Astros returning their core group of guys that led the majors in offense, the only thing left to do is grab another ace.
With the Astros being in the American League West they are going to have to yet again defeat teams the likes of the Angels, Athletics, Rangers, and Mariners.
The American League as a whole had a pretty down year, and with the Los Angeles Dodgers more than likely returning to play for the Fall Classic in 2018.
Am I saying Arrieta is the only option? No. The Houston Astros have the ability to go out and put together a pitching rotation that could dominate not only the AL West for years to come but also the American League.
Next: Houston Astros celebrate World Series title in epic fashion
With 2018 free agency comes opportunity, and with opportunity comes those that will seize it. The ball is in your court Houston.