After leaving the Cubs, Campana played 73 games (including a handful with the Angels) and batted.215/.269/.256 with 12 stolen bases, giving the D-backs 0.0 bWAR in 2013 and -0.3 in 2014. As late as 2021, he was still involved in the Mexican League. He was the last Cub to swipe thirty or more bases in a season from Nic Hoerner (43) in 2023 to Juan Pierre (58) in 2006. In addition, he is just one of eight players in MLB history to play fewer than 90 games and yet steal at least 30 bases in a season.
Leal and Castillo never made it to the major leagues. In 2023, Leal continued to pitch in the Mexican League.
No, not a comeback from the late ‘90s Cubs outfielder. This Henry Rodriguez was a right-handed reliever with a strong throwing arm but poor control—during his career, he averaged 6.4 walks per nine innings. With a 4.50 ERA and -0.1 bWAR in five games pitched, he was released as a free agent by the Cubs following the season.
This is one of the best trades in Cubs team history.
The Cubs had signed Feldman as a free agent with the goal of trading him. Additionally, Feldman had a strong 15 starts for the Cubs with a 3.46 ERA, 0.9 bWAR, and seven one-hit innings pitched in a complete game against the Padres.
Arrieta had been inconsistent with the Orioles, but Strop, who had a 7.25 ERA in 29 relief appearances for Baltimore in 2013, and Cubs scouts both thought Arrieta had something special.
Thus, the agreement was reached. After being transferred to Triple-A Iowa to get “fixed,” Arrieta made nine starts in the late season for the Cubs, posting a respectable 3.25 ERA and 0.7 bWAR despite the team’s defeat.
Then, in 2014, he started to click. Anticipating the seasons to come, he pitched a near-perfect game against the Red Sox (losing it in the eighth), then against the Reds he pitched a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished with a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts.
You are all aware of the outcome when Jake finally found his footing in the middle of 2015. He recorded an ERA of 0.86 and a WHIP of 0.701 during his last 20 starts, starting with a shutout of the Twins. He also famously hit as many home runs (two) as he allowed during that span. He concluded with 22 victories, a 1.77 ERA, four complete games, three shutouts, 8.3 bWAR, and the Cy Young Award. That included a no-hitter against the Dodgers. Perhaps the best pitching season in Cubs history is this one.
After making 15 starts, Jake finished the season with a 1.74 ERA, 107 strikeouts in 98 innings, and just three home runs allowed. In his fifth start of the season, Jake no-hit the Reds.
He had a 1.21 ERA, 254 strikeouts in 245 innings, and just five home runs allowed throughout that 35-start span. None of us will likely ever witness something like it.
Jake wasn’t as impressive the remainder of the year, though he did have a few strong postseason outings and a courageous Game 4 start in the 2017 NLCS that helped the Cubs avoid elimination by one game.
