Jake Arrieta
A pitcher who authored one of baseball's most dominant second-half runs, culminating in a historic no-hitter and a World Series crown for Chicago.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 6·Millennials
Biography
Jake Arrieta's legacy is built on a breathtaking peak that lifted a franchise from despair to ecstasy. Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, he struggled with consistency for years, a talented arm searching for his command. The trade to the Chicago Cubs in 2013 unlocked something extraordinary. Working with pitching coach Chris Bosio, he reinvented himself, harnessing a devastating cut fastball and sinker. The summer of 2015 was pure magic: he went 12-1 with a 0.75 ERA after the All-Star break, a stretch of dominance not seen in decades, and threw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That season earned him the Cy Young Award. The following year, he was the steely ace of a team ending a 108-year curse, starting and winning two critical games in the 2016 World Series. While injuries later muted his brilliance, his name is forever etched in Cubs folklore as the engine of their transformation.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jake was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jake Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Jake's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the National League Cy Young Award unanimously in 2015 after leading the league with 22 wins and a 1.77 ERA.
- Pitched two no-hitters as a Cub, one against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015 and another against the Cincinnati Reds in 2016.
- Was the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 2016 World Series, clinching the championship for the Chicago Cubs.
- Threw a complete-game shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game.
Did You Know?
He is an avid fitness enthusiast and follows a strict paleo diet, which he credited for his physical transformation and performance surge.
He played college baseball at TCU (Texas Christian University) before being drafted in the fifth round in 2007.
He pitched for Team USA in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning a bronze medal.
“I don't want to be good. I don't want to be great. I want to be unforgettable.”
