Cubs righty Jake Arrieta pushed back Tuesday night on the notion that he might be done as an effective starter after lasting just 1 2/3 innings for the second consecutive outing in Chicago’s 15-10 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Not even close,” Arrieta said after the Cubs’ 11th consecutive defeat. “This sucks. Really, it does. But I’m not going to hang my head. I’m going to continue to work. I’m going to do whatever needs to be done.”
Arrieta blamed poor execution for his recent stretch. After compiling a 2.57 ERA through his first five starts of the season, the 35-year-old veteran has produced an 8.55 mark over his past 12, easily the highest in the league during that timeframe.
“I know where my stuff ranks in the game,” Arrieta said. “I watch a lot of baseball, and it’s still there. It is. This is a tough stretch for us as a team and for me individually.”
The Cubs have lost the second-most consecutive games for a team after throwing a no-hitter, while Tuesday’s defeat was the fourth during the streak in which they gave up at least 10 runs.
