The Phillies made a big time move yesterday and signed one of the last big time names left on the market. Former Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta will be headed to Philly after agreeing to terms on a three year deal worth $75 million. Arrieta will instantly get pushed to the front of this rotation and will serve as their ace. Besides his great talent on the mound, Arrieta will serve a very useful role in the clubhouse. This Phillies staff is incredibly talented and still very raw. Many young players got their first shot at big league starts last season and the future looks bright. Arrieta will be a great fit as a mentor for these young arms. Jake has been a dominant pitcher of late and is also a player who has struggled and made adjustments to his game. The Phillies are looking forward to having an example like Arrieta for young arms such as Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, and Nick Pivetta. Philadelphia is still in a rebuild mode but this move puts them right in the thick of things for this season. Their division, the National League East, is full of question marks. The Nationals seem to be the clear cut favorite but after that it is wide open. The Marlins are destined for a year at the bottom after trading away just about all of their talent, the Braves are rebuilding, and the Mets are never a sure thing with their history of injuries in that starting rotation. This is really a great move for the Phillies in both the long-term and short. Arrieta will impact this team right away and could have them competing for a Wild Card spot. He also sets them up for long-term success by giving the young talent someone to look up to. Look out for the Phillies this season and for a few to come.
